The New Zealand air force has successfully evacuated three staff members from the US McMurdo Station in Antarctica in a high-risk operation conducted during the southern winter. The mission, requested by the United National Science Foundation, involved navigating extreme weather conditions and round-the-clock darkness to provide urgent medical care for one of the individuals.
The C-130J Hercules aircraft departed on Tuesday afternoon, with the crew working through the night to complete the 19.5-hour round trip. Temperatures at McMurdo Station fell to -24°C on the day of the operation. Travel to Antarctica between March and October is restricted to emergencies due to constant night and dangerous storms.
Air Commodore Andy Scott described mid-winter flights to Antarctica as among the most challenging operations the air force performs. The US team had to clear and groom the ice runway to ensure it was suitable for landing before the flight could depart from New Zealand. Scott noted that flying on night vision goggles in such extreme and changeable weather conditions adds significant risk, with no alternative airfields available for diversion once past a certain point south.
Once on the ice, the aircraft's engines were kept running during refuelling, a procedure known as 'hot refuelling', to prevent them from freezing. A doctor was on board to care for the patients during the flight. The plane landed back in Christchurch on Wednesday morning.
The US embassy expressed its deep appreciation to the New Zealand air force. Chargé d'affaires Melissa Sweeney stated, 'This mission wasn't just difficult; it was one of the most technically demanding operations an aircrew can face. This required absolute precision … This is the kind of mission that tests every ounce of skill and bravery.'
