New Zealand Air Force battles freezing cold and darkness to rescue 3 from US Antarctic base

New Zealand's air force evacuated three people from a United States research base in Antarctica on Wednesday (August 6, 2025). The air force stated that it was a high-risk operation in freezing temperatures and perpetual darkness. The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) said in a statement that one person requiring urgent medical care and two others needing medical attention were taken on the rescue flight from the McMurdo Station on Tuesday (August 5, 2025).

The aircraft landed in the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Wednesday morning. However, the New Zealand Air Force, in its statement, provided no details of the medical emergency or nationalities.

Andy Scott, a New Zealand Air Commodore, said the extreme cold and landing on a runway of ice in the dark make mid-winter flights to Antarctica one of the most challenging tasks an air crew can perform.


"(It is) an extremely challenging environment to fly in on night vision goggles due to the extreme weather conditions, which are highly changeable at this time of year and make accurate forecasting a challenge," he said, as quoted by Reuters.

Temperatures at the McMurdo Station fell as low as -24 Celsius (-11 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, hampering the 20-hour mission that took place in the complete darkness of the Antarctic winter. The U.S. Chargé d'Affaires for New Zealand, Melissa Sweeney, said the evacuation had been carried out "flawlessly."

"We are so very grateful. Our Kiwi partners didn’t hesitate to undertake this mission in one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth. Their skill and readiness are truly world-class," she said.