A risky mercy mission to the bottom of the world

A Royal New Zealand Air Force plane departs Tuesday on a medical emergency evacuation flight to Antarctica

By Matt Smith
CNN.com Writer

(CNN) -- Tuesday's Antarctic rescue flight to retrieve an American doctor is among the riskiest expeditions to the South Pole in recent years.

A Canadian plane that left Britain's Rothera research station on the Antarctic Peninsula on Tuesday landed safely at the South Pole to retrieve Dr. Ronald Shemenski. He is the staff physician at the Amundsen-Scott research facility.

Shemenski, 59, is suffering from pancreatitis and gallstones. Though his condition has improved, National Science Foundation spokesman Curt Suplee said he has a 30 percent chance of a recurrence, which could develop into a life-threatening condition.

Another flight Monday brought four ill Americans and seven other researchers back from the McMurdo Station on the Antarctic coast. But the region's harsh winters make such flights both dangerous and rare.

"This is way beyond the normal season. But the people who are doing this flight know what they're doing," said Marc Cornelissen, a Dutch explorer who skied from the Antarctic coastal region to the pole last year. But he added, "I think they have a great danger of flying down to the pole and not getting out again."

Poor visibility and extreme cold limit most air travel to a six-month stretch from October through March, before the onset of the Antarctic winter. In April, the South Pole typically gets just four hours of sunlight per day, and high winds can drive windchills down to -140 degrees Fahrenheit (-200 Celsius).

Aircraft and snow crawlers must use pre-heating equipment to keep their engines from freezing in the brutal weather. Some tracked vehicles burn jet fuel rather than ordinary gasoline or diesel fuel, since it won't freeze even at temperatures as low as -60 Celsius (- 75 Fahrenheit) -- typical for the polar plateau, which sits about 2,800 meters (9,100 feet) above sea level.

Cornelissen said Dr. Shemenski treated him for a mild case of frostbite and an infected wound on his leg when he arrived at the pole. During their time at the polar research station, the crew becomes close-knit, almost a family, he said.

"He's a great person, and I want to talk to him as soon as I can reach him," Cornelissen said. "I think the people at the station will miss a very warm person."

The plane will drop off a replacement physician, Dr. Betty Carlisle, who has previous experience at the South Pole. The three-person crew of the DeHavilland Twin Otter plans to rest for 10 hours at the Amundsen-Scott station before making the return flight, according to Raytheon Polar Services, which provides support for the research station.

Pancreatitis occurs when the pancreas becomes inflamed. The pancreas, a gland located behind the stomach, secretes digestive enzymes that are used in the small intestine to help digest food. It also releases the hormones insulin and glucagon, which are involved in breaking down sugar.

Many cases of acute pancreatitis are caused by gallstones. Shemenski was stricken when a gallstone blocked a duct between the pancreas and gall bladder.

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October 7, 1999

National Science Foundation
  • Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica
Kenn Borek Air Ltd.
Antarctica's Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
The New South Polar Times

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