Three researchers from the U.S. McMurdo Station in Antarctica were medically evacuated this week in a challenging 20-hour rescue mission conducted by the Royal New Zealand Air Force. One researcher required urgent medical care, while the other two also needed attention. Their names and specific medical conditions were not disclosed.

The rescue operation faced extreme cold and rapidly changing weather conditions. The crew had to land a C-130J Hercules plane, weighing about 160,000 pounds, on ice in the dark. According to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the crew used night vision goggles to navigate the flight , which was made more difficult by the lack of airfields to divert to once the aircraft reached a certain point south.

The U.S. National Science Foundation requested the emergen

See Full Page