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TWO SICK WORKERS evacuated from a remote US research station near the South Pole on Wednesday have reached Chile after a risky rescue mission carried out in the dead of Antarctica’s winter, US officials said.
A Twin Otter turboprop plane flew in dark and cold conditions to pick up the workers from the Amundsen-Scott station, about 250 meters from the geographic South Pole, a spokesman for the US National Science Foundation (NSF), Peter West told AFP.
After a stop at a British station on the edge of Antarctica lasting several hours, another plane flew the two workers to Puntas Arenas, Chile’s southernmost city, the NSF later said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.
The plane landed around 2.40am Irish time this morning.
The plane’s crew and a medical team had made the 10-hour journey to the South Pole from the British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera research station some 2,200 kilometers away in the middle of the continent’s 24-hour winter on Tuesday night to reach the patients, who could not be treated on site.
The NSF — the US research agency that operates the Amundsen-Scott Station — organized the rescue mission last week given the condition of the first patient, which was not disclosed for privacy reasons.
“It was really an emergency,” West said.
It later became apparent that the second worker also needed to be evacuated.
The sick workers — employees of the US company Lockheed Martin who worked on base logistics and were not identified — were then to be transferred to a hospital in South America, West said, without giving further details.
The Amundsen-Scott base was home to 48 people (39 men and nine women) who work on-site throughout the austral winter, which spans February through October.
Near the world’s southernmost point, workers spend this period withstanding nearly complete darkness and dramatically low temperatures — on Tuesday, the thermometer dropped to -60 degrees Celsius.
It was only the third time that an emergency rescue operation has been launched in the middle of winter.
In 2001, the only doctor at the Amundsen-Scott station was suffering from a life-threatening pancreatic condition and required urgent evacuation. A second medical evacuation was carried out that year.
In 1999, the US station’s doctor Jerri Nielsen, who was self-treating her own breast cancer, required medical evacuation but weather conditions were more favorable, as the mission took place in the spring.
The Twin Otter plane, operated by the Canadian company Kenn Borek Air, is specially designed to operate in extremely cold temperatures.
Research projects at the Amundsen-Scott station include monitoring long-term levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.
The station also operates two telescopes that observe “cosmic microwave background” radiation — the faint light signature left by the Big Bang — to study the origins of the universe, dark energy and dark matter.
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Attention seeking, she seems to forget the abuse she has given herself. Like photoshopping Ming’s picture on twitter. That to me is disgraceful.
She’s two faced alright
That’s a poor campaign strategy, no doubt, but do you think death threats are appropriate form of response or campaign strategy?
Knocking on the doors during the election for one of the local candidates, I was told on occassion, that all politicians should be shot, another said that they should all be locked in Leinster House and it should be burnt down.
People are very angry at the political establishment, Particularily Labour and some make that anger felt by make statements like these directed not only at the government parties but at politics in general. From what I saw from the distance of Higgins’ Campaign, it seemed to wreak of the same smug, unapologetic arrogance that eminated from many of their candidates, an attitude that infuriated a lot of people.
See what do they expect? They don’t realize what the source of that anger and frustartion is , it’s quite simple:
They run for election making promises, not always unreasonable ones, reasonable enough to be believed. Then when they get into office they do the opposite of what they ran on (which is what this govt did in many areas). Then when the electorate pull them up on this, these politicans turn to them with a smug condescending tone and tell them they just don’t understand that hard decisions need to be made and those promises were ‘just what you do when you want to win’
So basically…by making elections meaningless because nothing you say in them matters, you have made them so frustrated that they do stuff like this, it’s because you left no more reasonable respectable alternative for them.
Just because the woman is an idiot doesn’t mean that she should get death threats. i can understand peoples anger but if you look at the low turnout we get the leaders we deserve if we cant be bothered to vote.
Delighted she did not get elected. Did herself no favours during the campaign whatsoever.
If this genuinely happened, then it’s in the hands of the gardai. So lets see.
I hope while she’s there, she will point out the photies on twitter and FB of the illegal parking that took place in a disabled zone and a fine will be forthcoming too.
She also posted a filled in ballot paper on her FB page on election day. That’s illegal as far as i know. No excuse for any threats though.
This woman who surprise surprise,is a lawyer has been rejected by the eleactrate on numerous occasions.Yet she still holds a senate seat ,which was given to her by Kenny and is listed as the Labour Party Seanad spokesperson on Reform and Foreign Affairs.Higgins is a leech,sucking on the taxpayers blood full enabled by our political leadership.
It’s a disgrace and slap in the face of the electorate,and a slap in the face of democracy.
She can claim you threatened to put leeches on her face now!
Well – she would be paying back the party really as it would have been they who funded her campaign, and she only gets it back from the public if she reaches a quota or gets in to the best of my knowledge..
You are entitled to whatever your political views are even if expressed in offensive terms.
However I challenge your assertion that Lorraine Higgins brought death threats on herself.
I am a Labour Party member and supporter. Would you care to declare what your views and affiliations are, other than being anti – labour?
Hi Mick Sweeney. I am anti-gobs**tery. And she is one of those GSs as well as being a Labour Party member! If she was not so arrogant and dismissive of others, there would have been no threats…just as there were no threats to other election candidates who fought the good fight without Higgins’ type of bad electioneering behaviour!!!
Hi RP McMurphy. It seems to me that you are being quite arrogant and dismissive. You seem to be particularly dismissive of someone’s right to campaign for election without intimidation and threats to life. I don’t share your values. Is that all right with you? Or do you think I should also be subjected to threats? You did not answer my question in my first post about your political affiliations but of course that is your right. You are certainly anti – labour but what are you for?
Supporters of Sinn Fein and independents that’s 40% of the population under suspicion
More like 20% considering half the country aren’t arsed voting.
I condemn outright any death threats or abuse towards any politicians from any party but I don’t think its right to say it was a supporter from the independents/Sinn Fein unless there is 100% proof.
Yeah !!!!!
Like “I’m not and never was a member of the IRA”. Give us a break.
Dominic just as well forward thinking people in this Country don’t think like yourself.. My dad used to always say “You can’t drive a car forward by looking in the rear view mirror” The people of this Country has spoken, so it’s time you and the rest of the FG trolls go back under the rocks you came from…
Which must be why SF are celebrating this election result as “the best for Sinn Fein since 1918″, because they don’t look at the past.
Was your dad ever the victim of paramilitary terrorism perpetuated by Sinn Fein/ IRA???
Was your dad ever questioned under caution about the abduction, torture and murder of a widowed mother of 10 ???
Was your dad the first person a sitting Sinn Fein /IRA T.D. to greet and rejoice at the release of convicted murderers of garda Gerry McCabe.
Was your dad in the van that was stopped by gardai and had weapons and gardai equipment, balaclavas and election posters and propaganda material supporting a Sinn Fein/ IRA election candidate????
Or should we just ignore all that and continue on the road pretending that the carnage/terror left behind will be forgotten!!!!
Dominic anyone who knows anything about the troubles knows Adams was never involved in the violence, he was always on the political end of things.
The reason he probably says that is because he thinks there are a lot of people out there who would misunderstand how the PIRA worked, and if he was a member in leadership sure he must have signed off on everything they ever did thus was responsible for them.
Kevin your picture of things is ridiculously biased, you conveniently left out that there was no charges for the arrest and no evidence shown either. If that lack of evidence did not convince you that it was politically motivated then you are just not plugged into reality.
Kevin my Great Grandmother died giving birth to my Grandfather in a women’s workhouse, she was put there by the state because she was having a baby out of wedlock.. My Grandfather died many years later after falling from the back of a moving ambulance when he was been transported between hospitals… He was left alone for the journey while the two medics were up front… So don’t come on making out that Sinn Fein are the only ones to have done wrong in this Country.. Successive Governments have let the citizens of this Country down and hopefully now the tide is changing and we can all look Forward to a brighter future
And if your ould-lad or you were not abandoned and privy to persecution at the hands of crown sponsored orange supremacists and forced to take up arms, then your priveleged musings of what Adams et al achieved are irrelevant and invalid…..Happy Ould-lad’s Day anon!!
Dominic dont be silly!
Barry so you agree your favourite parties are so busy looking backwards that they fall over their own arses like they just did in the election?
Kevin all parties in the Dail had a similar murky past, people like you are part of the problem in the country nowadays, look forward!
Sinassist…zzzzzzzz
Three guesses what the “f” stands for.
When you say ” troubles” is that what you refer to as murder and torture of innocent women and children??
Look forward! Is that what was said to the 10 orphaned children of Jean McConville?? Your mum ran off with a British soldier so get on with it and look forward…..????
The Sinn Fein/ IRA party leader “Barron Adams” who if you can believe what his fallen comrades claim, that he was personally involved in this callous murder.
Give it a rest and turn off the broken record! The people have spoken and Sinn Fein are rising in this country! It’s about time too!
WAR! WAR! Rebellion! When people rise up against persecution! People died like every other conflict that has ever been! Do you think nobody died in India when they rose up, or South Africa! Grow up and turn off the record! It’s becoming very boring indeed! Irish people who are proud Irish people should never rest until Ireland is united!
Funny how shinnerbots use the “war and glorious revolution” to try to justify murder of children and innocents, but the shouts and wails of collusion and government assassinations when it’s a role reversal…..
FF/FG and Labour are failed parties but Sinn Fein/IRA are certainly not the answer especially with a hierarchy that have the blood of the innocents on their hands
So,,, where does threatening Lorraine Higgins fit in on your warped scale of acceptable SF tactics ?
I think it’s outrageous.
One word Ryan.
Bullshit !!!!!
Do not lecture me either.
This was Europe and local, div 1A and 1B. Premiership in 2016. This actually means nothing at all in who governs our country.
Bit of a spare tyre there Gus but no panic, them ample jowls should keep your chins up!
Kev ‘Kendog’ f(uckt@ard)……more’s the pity you’re not propping up a few sandcastles yourself for ‘touting’ such vacuous, inane brain scutter!
Do you really believe Adams was only involved in the political side? You must be very young.
Kevin F, as hard as it is we have to accept our past, there was not just 1 side in this. It is a pity you cannot be as disgusted with all the perpetrators of atrocity’s as you are with one particular group. I feel sorry for people like you, People who never stood up when it was needed, we never heard from the likes of you and you singular outrage when the same atrocities were being delivered to Catholics. keep picking the easy names that elicit the knee jerk response but don’t forget there are plenty more victims just as worthy as the ones you allude too. I am proud of any man or woman who had the courage to stand up against an oppressive regime because we sure as hell would be long time waiting for cheap shot taking people like you to stand up for anything.
go away kevin until up grow up and move on like the rest of us….i’m from the north and lived throughout the troubles since 1969……the war is over, time for a new start will you for gods sake stop taking us back…..there is nothing there but death and misery. i want more for my grandchildren.
For God sake Lorraine, go to the police with your complaints instead of bleating to reporters.
And perhaps you should read the article, it says she did report it to Gardai
Lets call this what it is: She’s sore she only got 4% of the vote so she’s blaming a childish comment on a whole political party.
By that logic we should blame her for what the OIRA did being the connection between democratic left, now in labour, and the stickies…
So tell us Lorraine…where are YOUR parties guns? the PIRA guns were decommissioned, what happened to the stickies guns? hmm? How many people were MURDERED by those weapons your communist pals in democratic left wielded eh?
See we could play this childish game all day…
It doesn’t saw much for the readership that 190 liked the post by Chris, and only 23 didn’t. It appears that only 23 or so people actually read the article, or perhaps understood the article. Ms Higgins did go to the Gardai, a number of times.
It makes very little difference now to her that she publicly stated it – before this people on theJournal claimed it was a publicity stunt made to benefit her for the elections. The elections are over now and she isn’t, in any shape or form, suggesting her loss at the elections was to do with a death threat.
Regardless of her ‘motives’ (which she clearly doesn’t have any), absolutely no person should be the victim of such abuse. It’s an absolute disgrace and I really do hope that the Gardai take this seriously, identify and arrest the individual(s) who made such a threat. The full letter of the law should be applied, no doubt about it.
Kevin this reminds me of the London riots when they constantly kept asking people ”but do you think that justify s it?” and thereby missing the point
It goes without saying you should not threaten your employees, obviously.
However, the read from this and the other abuse reported on this story by canvassers should tell these people something. It’s a measure of how frustrated they are with the political establishment, they keep CLAIMING they get this but then their next sentence is always reaffirming the very policies and actions that enraged the people to begin with. They basically made elections meaningless , they made promises, ignored them afterwards and then smugly said ‘but isn’t that what one does when one runs for election’ (Pat Rabbite), along with portraying them as loons who just are not smart and sophisticated enough to understand the true genius of austerity..forgetting they didn’t run on austerity they ran against it, they ran on stimulus.
You can’t wantonly ignore the promises you made in office, shrug afterwards and portray people who are angry at this as fools who are just not smart enough to get it, and expect that people are not going to be angry…I mean what the hell did they think was going to happen that they could just govern the exact opposite to the way they ran and that would be ok? That they could say in 2011 run up ”we won’t even enter office if water charges are on the table, it’s a labour red line” , then introduce water charges with some token changes and what? We’d thank you?
GTFO.
I’d say they will need to employ 1000 more Gardai just to investigate labour complaints between death threats, damaging of posters, damaging of cars while canvassing. They really have reached epic levels of detachment from the people they allegedly used to represent. And just to be clear, I don’t condone death threats in any way
Don’t forget the littering complaint against that woman who tore up the leaflet!
A hatchet to the face?… Is that a play on words because she looks like an auld battle-axe?!?
Failed candidate finds way to keep name in the media.
so death threats are justified?
Lorraine the campaign is over honey you dont need anymore publicy
Indeed and she got 4% of the vote, if I got that kind of slap from my constituents I’d have my head down and be asking what the hell happened that I lost that much support, I’d be more focused on that question than throwing mud at the people who beat me by blaming them all for a post on facebook by one person
Well done Ryan – which constituency did you win?
I havn’t ran yet, I usually run the campaigns rather than being the candidate (my guys have only lost on one campaign).
I was just saying when I do run in future, if I got 4% my question would be jesus what went wrong, why do people dislike me that much.
There was a local labour candidate, someone, enraged tore up their leaflet in front of them and dropped it on the ground. He reported her to the litter warden and got her fined. My reaction to that as a candidate would be to ask her what I’d done, or my party has done, to make her so angry, and my question after that would be what could I do to earn back your trust, what would it take?
The last thing I’d do is get her fined I mean that just makes you look like a complete a-hole…
So I don’t understand these people. Labour people I’ve worked for were always very down to earth and in touch, they were usually put off by the very kind of arrogant ”you just don’t understand” speeches that they are now making.
They appear to be telling themselves that they got hammered for making hard decisions…they got hammered for broken promises, the kind of stuff they used to utterly lambaste FF for, they have become, in essence, the FF of 2008, and that’s why they lost.
Lorraine. Photo-shopping another candidates poster!! Go back and take a good look at yourself in the mirror! Sad!
Yep because a threat of violence amounts to the same. Whatever about defacing posters in public places – which to my mind is a perfectly valid form of protest (and humor…the 30,000 new jobs…in Canada was particularly good) – any direct threat of violence is completely abhorable.
In fairness Matt…it’s not a serious threat it’s a feckin facebook post for Gods sake.
Nobody who is really going to assault someone is going to leave en electronic paper tral from them to their victim in the form of IP addresses etc
This is just hysteria over nothing.
How do you know for sure – sure a guy who beat up a taxi driver in Cavan was hardly going to murder a woman in Limerick……they got that wrong, didn’t they. – every threat of violence need to be taken seriously.
Can you not just loose gracefully, only 32,000 votes with a target of 129,000. The seat was never going to be yours. sticks and stones lady sticks and stones. labour is as bad if not worst with dirty trick at election time. Would Mick Higgins have got elected if not for the ambush of Gallagher at R.T.E. Would labour have got into government if the had not mislead the country about who was going to pay for the mistakes of past governments. You even degraded the candidate that topped the poll. Calling him as useful as a turkey in Europe. But that Turkey could yet turn into a swan and give Eire a voice in Europe.
Oi!! Leave Micheal D outa this!!!!!!!
Lorraine Higgins – I hope never to see u or hear your voice ever again. You are a disgrace to your family and to Galway. Labour should be proud of ur ‘achievements’.
Reality of social media is there are lots of cranks and trolls out there and have to take a lot of what’s written with a pinch if salt. What this looks like is the Senator trying to distract from her election result by making hardly veiled insinuations and unfounded accusations about who made the comment.
There is no justification for that type of behaviour whatsoever .
yes – if it’s satirical or name-calling – a threat of violence is completely different.
Can’t help herself can she. No Sympathy for any labour/FF/FG member that gets abuse. None what so ever. The pain and suffering these people have caused they deserve everything they get. Typical Irish mentality. Shut up and do as your told. Not allowed to complain.
Nobody deserves death threats, no matter what their politics
Barry Mc Donnell is was now a death threat, she could easily of survive a good hatcheting now stop being so dramatic princess.
She really is something else. Reminds me of the whole Dana fiasco during the presidential election.
At least Dana had the integrity to f*uck off when she lost!!
Ah Dana… That brings back memories. Like the time one of the tyres on the car she was travelling blew out. Didn’t she try to blame it on sabotage?
She should get off Facebook . It’s only for youngsters
Sorry Blacksod63, that’s Bebo you’re thinking of. FB is the one for older people. Try to keep up!
If all these politicians took an average industrial wage instead of the exorbitant salary’s they receive there may not be as much derision towards them,after all did they not get involved to “make a difference and help people less fortunate” its said time and time again but these parasites are only in it for themselves
Can you tell me how does an average industrial wage allow members of a political party that advocates this, how do they afford all those impressive holiday homes in Donegal?????
Missing northern bank monies perhaps???
Being a somewhat successful helps, unlike rozzer shafting Shatter and his sleazy clit-lit!!
*successful author
Lorraine – get off Facebook if it is bothering you. If you are working hard enough in your constituency people will know you.
Anything for a headline! Bad form if those comments were made all the same
It might have been someone with a disability, who got a bit cheesed off seeing her van parked in a designated disabled parking space?
There are quite a good few of you animals out there that would certainly applaud the murder of labour politician. It’s a dangerous mindset.
Thankfully social media ensures these people can dish out the abuse anonymously from behind their smartphone, laptop, tablet etc. however probably not a good idea to issue a death threat from your FB profile. Not the brightest.
You can’t generally post threats anonymously. There is very little anonymity that can’t be unwrapped with a court order. If I threaten you, the AGS goes to facebook and gets the IP address for the computer that posted the threat. They take the address to Eircom (for instance) and ask to see who was using that address at the time the threat was made.
The address of the user is on file. Then there is a knock on the door and some explaining to do.
Poor Brendan! Your watching to many of those American Unsolved Mystery’s!
Before any of u jump to the sf conclusion I would remind u that u were left with egg on your face last time there was an accusation concerning sf
She keeps herself in the news
The ‘death threat’ sounds like hyperbole. And somehow I think she knows it. Its hardly as if someone issued a fatwah against her. Would the guards please do us a favour and lift her for wasting police time. If they investigated everytime someone said they would kill someone every mammy in the country would be behind bars.
Who,d be a politician
Oh dear god talk about being dramatic. Could it possibly not have to do with your arrogant condescending attitude towards the electorate. Stop giving her media attention and Remove her from the senad as well please!
the hypocrisy of this woman shows no bounds…..continues to call herself a senator and accepts the finacial perks that goes with the role even though her party campaigned for it to be abolished….happy to call in to question the electorates intelligence in voting for Luke Ming and sf and not her the great Higgins…remind us again how many votes you got, how impressed were the electorate in your ability to represnt the country in Europe…Sour grapes now best advise is give up the politics game and stick to your well rewarded job.
I don’t believe her.
Neither do I.
Its just another angle for her now. It should have just been left to the Gardai to investigate.
Less is more Lorraine
My lady abused me and issued a death threat because i left the light on in the toilet all night .
I take it this woman believes that the hostility towards her has nothing to do with her personal attributes, the way she conducted her campaign or the party that she represented? I do not support threatening or boorish behaviour on behalf of anybody, but I have to doubt that a credible “death threat” would appear on someone’s Facebook page. Get a grip.
This is not the reason why she was not elected. Membership of a failed coalition partner party does not entitle a candidate to automatic respect. Her behaviour during campaigning was unsupportable.
Obscurity beckons, Lorraine, get used to it.
If your going to go in front of the country and act like a complete wagon, chances are you’ll provoke the ire of a few lunatic idiots.
Having a scan through the comments there, the summary seems to be…drum roll……’F*ck her’
She was an absolutely hopeless candidate with rude, ill-informed participation in TV debates and I am delighted to see her eliminated (from the competition). Nonetheless, receiving threats of that nature is completely disgraceful and I hope the perpetrators are brought to justice.
She posted a photo to Twitter showing high number of visitors from Derry. But had she actually looked at what she put up, she’d have seen it was Derry in Co. Galway – the hinterland of her electorate and by no means a Sinn Féin stronghold.
It was the Mé Féin, not the Sinn Féin that damaged her campaign.
she’s a fool and has no idea she is.. bless
By the looks of things Lorraine, you got more viewers on this subject than you did votes! I’d call it very clever management. Are you sure your not just building up your profile for the flight to become an Indapendent for the next General Election? Watch this space!
Wish she would concentrate on taking down her posters, they are still up around South Mayo. Take it on the chin Lorraine and move on. Ooooops!
Well Lorraine while getting a death threat is a serious issue and should be treated as such. So is conducting an election campaign and on that score you are the worst politician of the whole election, the reason you got some much abuse is down to the way you plastered your lime duck Photoshop skills all over twitter and Facebook. Crying now all the dust has settled just make look even more of a joke than you already are. Run along now and crawl back under the rock you come from
I didn’t recognise her from her posters doing the picture of Dorian Grey bit! She’s happy enough to disparage people but no one can do it to her. Another Dana, worked all day for votes and accuses people of wanting to end her life too. Having said that if there was a death threat then that idiot does need sorting. If.
Jesus christ will this one ever stop whinging?!
There would not be enough hatchets in the Country for them.
its the joy of the internet and social media. people are more informed and can share their ideas. politicians who use this to promote themselves run the risk of a backlash. i am against the threats against her but she and her government have a lot to answer for.
Is there a possibility she created the accounts herself so as to troll herself with them and blame it on SF and independents? The soft targets.
Would this have been brought up if she had won?
Stay off those drugs will ya.
failed candidate……….bitter slurs
Has this Woman Got All The proof THat It Was Sinn Fein not that i am a fan of these People, I Just Think it Is Weird five days after Election and Now Eamon Gilmore Resigned and now She’s A victim all Too Confusing and She Would need To Proof This” Without A Doubt Regarding If She Alleged that Sinn Fein member had post this on her web page, as anyone on Facebook can be a name of the same, So she would need to prove this in a court of law with proper backup evidence otherwise she has not got a case, like i Said i am no fan of Sinn Fein and i never voted 4 them, But Something is Not right About Her Story?
Bye bye labour
Bye bye labour
Ahh Shinners you can always count on them for a bit of thuggery.
bitter bitter adam…your party are a laughing stock!
would she have reported if if she had won?…something tells me a big fat NO…she was a complete disaster from start to finish…your candidates were pathetic
Most of these “threatening” comments are 14 year old kids, and would not be taken seriously by any intelligent adult.
I have listened to Lorraine alot over past few weeks and while i disagree with her policies there is no place for such threats on social media or anywhere else. However her abrassive style of debating does her no favours and she needs to be more gracious to those her party policies have hurt in our society.
Cry harder Lorraine somebody might actually be listening
how did she even get 4% ???
Bit like a baby throwing their toys out of the pram
have your say