A group of American scientists was rescued from an island off Antarctica’s coast after ice prevented a U.S. Antarctic Programresearch vessel from reaching them.
The four U.S. scientists and a support staff member conducting research on Antarctica’s Joinville Island were airlifted by helicopter Sunday from an icebreaker ship dispatched by Argentina, said the National Science Foundation, which funds and manages the Antarctic program.
related: Remember When This Global Warming Krew Got Stuck In The Ice?Argentina sent the icebreaker ship after receiving a request for assistance on Friday, the country’s foreign ministry said Saturday. The Argentine ship has helicopters able to reach the group’s camp “regardless of the ice conditions,” the National Science Foundation, a U.S. government agency, said.
related: U.S. Must Build More Icebreakers NowNo doubt in a few decades helicopter rescues of scientists stuck in the global warming will be a thing of the past.
Having said that, perhaps the USA should consider upgrading its ice breaker fleet, just in case the...