Rescue Moves For French Helicopter in Antarctica …

• October 30th, 2010
• Posted by EUEditor

Australian and United States aircraft have gone to the aid of a French helicopter downed in Antarctica.

The Aerospatiale Squirrel helicopter went down during a flight from a ship that transfers supplies to France’s Dumont d’Urville  base, on the edge of the continent  — along the coast South-south-east of the Australian Davis base.

An American aircraft has passed over the area and an Australian place equipped to drop supplies was on its way late on Friday.

An emergency beacon has located the helicopter, which went missing late on Thursday with four French men on board, the flight crew and two more from the research station.

It had traveled 280 kilometres form the ship, and is 100 kilometres fro the Dumont d’Urville base.

Bad weather with very low cloud has kept rescuers away.

The Australian ship Aurora Australis on its way but is not expected to get to the area for another four days.

 

Reference

AFP, Paris, “Australia hunts for French missing helicopter”, 29.10.10. http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/World/Australia-hunts-for-French-missing-helicopter-10333.html, (29.10.10).

Radio France Internationale (RFI), Paris, “Search Under Way …”,
http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/20101029-search-underway-french-helicopter-missing-antarctica, (29.10.10).

Picture  Squirrel helicopter, Australian version, foreground – antarctica.gov.au

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