Antarctica: Australian Antarctic Division reveals rescue mission to save sick Aussie cairnspost.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cairnspost.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Australia, China and the US have collaborated on a mission to medically evacuate an Australian expeditioner from Antarctica.
The operation took five days, used ships, helicopters and planes, and canvassed thousands of kilometres of the icy continent.
Australian Antarctic Division Director Kim Ellis described it as one of the most complex and challenging medical evacuations his team has undertaken in recent years.
The unwell Australian was at Davis research station in east Antarctica when the operation began.
By chance, a Chinese icebreaker was travelling to a nearby Chinese research station.
Its helicopters were sent to Casey to transport a number of Australians from Davis to a site 40km inland to build a ski-way so a US aircraft could land.
Australian Antarctic Division
The Australian Antarctic Division has successfully completed a complex and challenging medical evacuation of an Australian expeditioner from Antarctica.
The medevac was a multinational effort involving the Australian, United States and Chinese Antarctic Programs, using a logistical network of ships, helicopters and planes covering thousands of kilometres in east Antarctica.
AAD Director Kim Ellis said the five-day operation reflects the very best of international cooperation in Antarctica.
“Antarctica really brings nations together to support each other in our operations,” Mr Ellis said.
“We’ve been doing these medevacs for a long time, but this particular operation was in the very best spirit of that multinational cooperation.”
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