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New Zealand Air Force Completes High-Risk Antarctic Medevac

ANTARCTICA, AUG 6 – The Royal New Zealand Air Force completed a high-risk 15-hour medevac in extreme Antarctic winter conditions, evacuating three people needing urgent and ongoing medical care.

  • On Tuesday, the Royal New Zealand Air Force evacuated three people from McMurdo Station to Christchurch, including one needing urgent medical care and two requiring medical attention.
  • On Sunday, the US National Science Foundation requested the evacuation, and the winter team groomed the ice runway before the RNZAF crew arrived in Christchurch from Auckland.
  • Technical chief Air Commodore Scott explained that hot refuelling kept engines running on the ice, and pilots removed goggles, stating "It was easier to see without the night-vision goggles on. They're not a magic pill that all of sudden makes everything easier," Scott said.
  • The US Chargé d'Affaires for New Zealand praised the mission as 'flawlessly executed' and said it 'brought hope in the middle of the Antarctic night,' reflecting international praise.
  • Experience from rescues in 2021 and last year shows the RNZAF's deep polar operational expertise.
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Three members of the National Science Foundation staff were evacuated from an American research base following a medical emergency. The mission is one of the most difficult for the Air Force.

·Buenos Aires, Argentina
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3 rescued from Antarctic research base in high-risk medical evacuation

The Royal New Zealand Air Force airlifted three people from the base, which is in one of the most remote places on the planet.

·St. Louis, United States
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U.S. News broke the news in New York, United States on Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
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