3 people from the United States on Antarctica were evacuated in a high -risk rescue process: “Nothing is less than heroic”

Three people need medical care from an American research base have been evacuated in AntarcticaDuring a 24 -hour rescue, the Air Force in New Zealand says, during a risk rescue operation. US officials launched the mission “Nothing less than heroic.”

The New Zealand Royal Air Force said in a statement Wednesday. The American National Science Foundation, which runs the station, sent an invitation to help because there were not enough medical resources at the base.

Officials said a crew of a member of the New Zealand Royal Air Force C-130J Hercules challenged the harsh conditions and successfully conducted the medical evacuation in the middle of the winter. No patients were provided about patients or their circumstances.

The officials said that an American team at the base had to create a manual runway and ensure the preparation of the ice and suitable for declining in permanent winter temperatures in the Antarctic continent and the temperatures below zero. After a detailed weather analysis and airport conditions, the New Zealand Air Force crew – with a doctor on the plane – used night vision glasses to carry out the task.

Overnight, Rnzaf Medevac has carried out a high -risk winter from MCMURDO in the American Antarctica program. Landing on a large plane on the ice, in the dark, using night vision, takes unusual accuracy and skill. We are very grateful for the crew professionalism, … pic.twitter.com/ikrs2Bxxeq

The US Embassy NZ 🇺🇸🇳🇿 (Usembassynz) August 6, 2025

Once the C-130J engines arrived, it continued to run to keep it warm to refuel, a process known as “hot fuel”, before the plane fired with the three patients. The Air Force said that the plane returned to the Kreystech, New Zealand on Wednesday.

The air Brigadier General Andy Scott said that the cold cold weather conditions and the difficulty of landing on the ice in the total darkness make such flights “one of the most difficult teams” to perform the crews.

“It (it is) a very difficult environment to fly in night vision glasses due to the harsh weather conditions, which are very changeable at this time of year and make the precise prediction challenge,” he said.

McMordo Station Which is located about 25 miles of active volcano in the far south of the world- Temperatures have been reported From -11 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday.

The American embassy in New Zealand Be praised The success of the mission.

“A large plane landing on the ice, in the dark, using night vision, takes unusual accuracy and skill,” the embassy He said on social media. “We are very grateful to the crew professionals, his courage and partnership. This task was not less than heroic.”

The New Zealand Air Force carried out a similar rescue in 2021 and 2024, according to The embassy.

According to its website, the McMurDo station is “the central logistics axis of the USAP (USAP), support for research on the continent and at the NSF Amandsen-Scott.”