Antarctica scientists send sauce, report sexual assault, death threats by colleague

A group of scientists stationed at a remote research base in Antarctica sent an urgent reason for help through E -mail, reporting physical aggression, sexual aggression and death threats from a colleague.

Currently, the team is based in the SMAEE IV research station, located about 100 miles south of the ice shelf in Antarctica and over 2,600 miles of Cape Town. With the closure of winter storms and ice closing, they will stay there for another 10 months, until December.

The South -African newspaper, The Sunday Times, was the first to report the news. E -mail, in which scientists pleaded for “urgent action”, describes a damaged situation in which a researcher colleague would have attacked a colleague and issued threats of additional violence.

According to the e-mail, the 10 members team is afraid of their safety, because the individual in question is considered a danger to the whole group. Also, a member of the team accused him of sexual assault.

The Southern Africa government confirmed an attack on the station, following previous complaints of improper behavior.

The Minister of the South Africa Environment, Dion George, whose department manages the country’s Antarctic program, acknowledged the incident and stated that “take the options”.

E -mail

E -the mail quoted by the Sunday Times, who eliminated all the names, described the violence: “Unfortunately, his behavior has reached a deeply disturbing level.

“Moreover, he threatened to kill (the name held), creating an environment of fear and intimidation. I am deeply worried about my own safety, asking me if I could become the next victim.”

The Email has continued to read: “It is imperative to take immediate measures to ensure the safety and safety of all employees.”

“I am facing significant difficulties in feeling sure in his presence. There was a verbal altercation between the team leader and this person. Then he climbed and then that person physically attacked the leader. You can imagine what it is. It is a close quarter and people get a fever from the cab.

He said that “numerous concerns” have been erected on the alleged attacker since the team arrived at the end of December on board SA Agulhas II from Africa II of South Africa, who left Antarctica a month later.

What does the government say?

The South -African Ministry of Environment said that when the ship left on February 1, “everything was in order”. The incident was reported for the first time to the ministry on February 27.

The department said that a government minister personally supervises the situation, and the alleged perpetrator has voluntarily participated in the subsequent psychological evaluation, showed remorse and agreed to follow any recommended interventions. “

The ministry also confirmed that the accused issued a formal apology to the victim.

According to reports, Minister George indicated that the conflict led “a task that the team leader wanted to make – a time dependent task that required a change in the program.”

Antarctica rescue operations are notorious due to the extreme environment. According to reports, South Africa has access to a ship and ice -capable aircraft, but any evacuation should face below zero and strong winds. The closest research facilities in Neumayer Stion III and the Troll Base in Norway – are more than 100 miles away.

Although rare, violent incidents took place before at the research stations in Antarctica. In 2018, a stabbing was reported at the Bellingshausen station in Russia, and in 2017, a researcher on the Marion Island attacked a colleague with an ax after a rejected marriage proposal.

South Africa conducts research in the 1959 Antarctica, usually implementing a small team of a doctor, mechanics, engineers, a meteorological technician and physicists.