Helicopter Crash, Antarctica December 2013

[Rotorwork]

From ABC News

 

Read on another news update that the machine is in several pieces,

 

Hope that the Pilot & pax get back to base asap.

 

The second machine requires more fuel to get back to Davis base.

 

Fly Safe

 

R W

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-02/australian-chopper-crashes-in-anatarctica-with-three-onboard2c/5128724

 

Three people have been injured after an Australian helicopter crash landed in Antarctica about 150 nautical miles from Davis Station.

 

The Squirrel helicopter made an emergency landing about 3:00am (AEDT).

 

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the crash which left one person has back injuries and the other two with minor injuries.

 

The safety bureau's Julian Walsh says a rescue and salvage mission is underway.

 

"We'll obviously obtain maintenance documentation in relation to the helicopter and information about the weather conditions and those types of things," he said.

 

"But until we know a little but more about the actual circumstances of the accident, it's a little bit difficult to actually determine the more detailed lines of inquiry that our investigation is likely to take."

 

The helicopter was one of two returning to the station after surveying a penguin colony at Amery ice shelf.

 

The second helicopter landed near the crash site and its crew is looking after the injured people until medical support arrives.

 

The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) says the group has adequate survival equipment and a tent has been set up to keep the injured warm.

 

Communication is being maintained with Davis Station.

 

The chopper is operated Helicopter Resources and is chartered by the AAD.

 

 

[Rotorwork]

Great Outcome

 

From the Canberra Times

 

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/environment/australian-antarctic-crash-victims-rescued-from-remote-ice-shelf-20131203-2ymoo.html

 

Three Australian Antarctic expeditioners injured in a helicopter crash have been evacuated from a remote ice shelf in a successful rescue mission.

 

The victims were conscious and stable, and undergoing medical assessment at Australia's Davis station far south-west of Perth, the director of the Antarctic Division, Tony Fleming, said on Tuesday.

 

"It's a great result," Dr Fleming said. "We took advantage of a small weather window and its succeeded."

 

The three were injured when their Eurocopter Squirrel crashed on the Amery Ice Shelf as they returned from surveying a penguin colony late on Sunday. A second helicopter flying with them landed, and rendered first aid while the rescue was mounted.

 

Crevassing prevented a fixed wing aircraft Twin Otter carrying a medical crew from landing on the ice shelf near the crash site, Dr Fleming said.

 

But a reconnaissance plane located a clear site on Sansom Island, about 90 kilometres away, and the second helicopter ferried the injured there before all returned to Davis, another 220km away, late on Monday night.

 

The names of the injured have not been released, and a decision is yet to be made on whether they will be evacuated from Antarctica.

 

The crashed helicopter is not recoverable, according to Dr Fleming.

 

"It's in a few pieces," he said.