- A research team studying the climate in the Antarctic region is reportedly feeling intimidated by a colleague, who is with them at the remote location. The South Africa Sunday Times obtained an email from the team leader of the group, which detailed some of those fears.
- The South African environment minister confirms that there was a physical altercation and that the matter is being assessed.
- Conditions at the remote location can average minus 10, with winds gusting up to 135 mph.
Full Story
A South African research crew, studying the climate in the Antarctic region, is dealing with more than just extreme weather and ice.
An email, written by the team lead of the research group and obtained by the South Africa Sunday Times, detailed their conditions. It indicated that the team is living in fear of one of their colleagues, who recently became violent.
Why are the researchers living in fear?
The email pleaded for the crew, stationed at what is called the Sanae IV base, to be rescued, saying the rogue researcher’s behavior has escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing. The email alleges he physically assaulted somebody, threatened to kill another and has created an environment of fear.
The person is also accused of having sexually assaulted another team member.
The writer said it is now “imperative that immediate action is taken to ensure my safety and the safety of all employees.”
What are conditions like where the team is located?
However, taking immediate action back in South Africa will be extremely difficult. It takes about two weeks, when the weather cooperates, to reach the base. The facility is roughly 2,500 miles from the southernmost tip of Africa, located on a freezing hilltop.
According to the publication, the team is entirely cut off and might be for another ten months. The average winter temperature is about minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit and winds can reach 135 mph.
What is the reaction of government officials in South Africa?
South African Minister of Environment Dion George said he will speak with members of the group and make an assessment. He confirms that there was a verbal altercation between the team leader and the person, with the team leader then being physically assaulted.
He noted that researchers undergo psychological testing before they go to Antarctica because of the remote, harsh conditions.
The team, numbering about thirty researchers, includes meteorologists, engineers and medical experts. They carry out climate monitoring, studies of the atmosphere and geological surveys.
