icepeople.net

About | Archives | PDF | Site Map | Contact

The world's northernmost alternative newspaper

One of longest helicopter rescues ever saves Greenland man
Svalbard rescuers fly more than 2,200 kilometers during 15-hour mission

A Super Puma helicopter from the Svalbard governor's office sets off Friday on a flight to the north tip of Greenland to rescue an ill man stranded there. Greenland officials asked for help after their rescue plane got stuck in snow at the site. Photo provided by the Svalbard governor's office.

One of the longest helicopter rescues in history ended successfully Saturday when Svalbard officials flew more than 2,200 kilometers to evacuate a 35-year-old man with a severely inflamed appendix from an expedition on the northern tip of Greenland.

The unidentified Danish researcher was in stable condition following the 15-hour rescue, according to a statement by the Svalbard governor's office. He was treated at Longyearbyen Hospital before being flown to Tromsø for further care Saturday.

The man and a fellow researcher sent out an emergency signal Friday from about 400 kilometers northwest of Stasjon Nord, the country's northernmost military station. Greenland authorities attempted a rescue, but asked Svalbard officials for help after the plane got stuck in the snow at the site.

Weather conditions were favorable over the Greenland Sea and the Svalbard governor's office determined the mission was safe.

"This person has been sick for five days," Lars Fausa, assistant secretary for the governor's office, told the Nordlys newspaper. "If we don't get him out, the man will die."

The helicopter departed at 9 p.m. and had to refuel in Ny Ålesund and again at a Danish military base on the northeast coast of Greenland before reaching the two researchers. They arrived in Longyearbyen at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

Svalbard still had two helicopters available, including one aboard a Coast Guard ship in the area, if needed for other emergencies, Fausa said.

All contents copyright 2009 by Icepeople or other copyright holders. Icepeople material may be reproduced elsewhere free of charge for noncommercial use. Contact Mark Sabbatini at marksabbatini@yahoo.com for information about anything else of seeming importance.