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