Latest news with #SouthAfricanNationalAntarcticExpedition
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Researcher "Threatened to Kill" Colleagues Trapped in Antarctic Base
Things seem to be going nightmarishly bad at an isolated scientific base in Antarctica, where a researcher has been accused of assaulting and threatening to murder colleagues. As England's The Times reports, an unnamed climate researcher at the South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE IV), a scientific base on Norway's Queen Maud Land region of the frozen continent, allegedly threatened the life of one of his colleagues, physically attacking one coworker and sexually assaulted another. In a pleading message shared with South Africa's Sunday Times, one of the man's coworkers begged their superiors for rescue. According to that letter, the researcher's behavior "has escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing" after he "physically assaulted" and "threatened to kill" at least one of the unnamed team members with whom he'll be stranded on the base for at least ten more months. "His [behavior] has become increasingly egregious, and I am experiencing significant difficulty in feeling secure in his presence," the letter reads. "It is imperative that immediate action is taken to ensure my safety and the safety of all employees." According to that same letter — the name of whose author, as with the subject, was withheld to protect their privacy — the alleged attacker has created "an environment of fear and intimidation." "I remain deeply concerned about my own safety," the author wrote, "constantly wondering if I might become the next victim." As moving as that plea is, it remains unclear when or even if a rescue mission will be deployed to SANAE IV, which is located on the top of a remote cliff and takes nearly two weeks to access. On average, the temperature stands at nearly 10 degrees Fahrenheit at the base, and the winds surrounding it can shoot up to 135 miles per hour, the report notes — which makes getting there all but impossible. In a statement to the Times, South African environment minister Dion George said that he plans to speak to the SANAE IV team personally "to assess for [himself]" what's going on. According to George, a "verbal altercation between the team leader and this person" — the alleged attacker, seemingly — broke out, and that individual did eventually assault the team lead. "You can imagine what it's like, it is close quarters and people do get cabin fever," he said. "It can be very disorientating." The minister added that an initial investigation into the matter found that the person who did the assault did not have "dangerous intentions," whatever that means. Should they need help, however, George said that his counterparts in Norway and Germany have been contacted "in the event that we need to do an urgent intervention." Be that as it may, these accusations seem incredibly serious — and the minister in charge of the SANAE IV team's safety doesn't seem to be handling it with the proper gravity. More on research gone wrong: Scientist Who Gene-Hacked Human Babies Says Ethics Are "Holding Back" Scientific Progress
The Independent
17-03-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Trapped Antarctic scientists beg for help after ‘assault and death threats' from colleague
A group of scientists trapped in an Antarctic research base have pleaded to be rescued after claiming a team member threatened to kill another colleague. The South African scientists are in the Sanae IV research centre in Vesleskarvet, Queen Maud Land. The South African National Antarctic Program runs the base and the South African National Antarctic Expedition operates it. The team is completely blocked off on a base where the typical winter temperature is -23C and wind speeds can reach nearly 150mph. It is 2,500 miles from South Africa 's closest point, meaning there is minimal human contact apart from themselves. One of the researchers reportedly sent a pleading email last week claiming a member of the team had attacked them and was issuing further threats. The email, seen by The Sunday Times, said: 'Regrettably, [his] behaviour has escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing. Specifically, he physically assaulted [X].' 'Furthermore, he threatened to kill [X], creating an environment of fear and intimidation. I remain deeply concerned about my own safety, constantly wondering if I might become the next victim,' the unnamed researcher added. The researcher also accused the team member of sexually assaulting another. The author was concerned about the colleague's "increasingly egregious behaviour" and demanded that they take urgent action to protect both themselves and the team. The email continued: "I am having a lot of trouble feeling safe in his presence." Dion George, South Africa's environment minister said he will personally speak with the team to assess the situation. He told The Sunday Times: 'There was a verbal altercation between the team leader and this person. Then it escalated and then that person did physically assault the leader. You can imagine what it's like, it is close quarters and people do get cabin fever. It can be very disorientating.' Mr George likened the conditions for the team in Antarctica to astronauts in space. The scientists based at Sanae IV include experts in oceanography, biology, geology and geomorphology.
