News - April 20, 2001


 NSF PR 01-34
 Media contact:
 Peter West
 (703) 292-8070
 pwest@nsf.gov

 New Zealand Aircraft to Fly Mission to U.S. McMurdo Station

 A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) cargo plane will fly to McMurdo Station, Antarctica to
 transport several U.S. citizens to New Zealand, some of whom require medical attention that cannot be
 provided in Antarctica.

 The wheeled, C-130 aircraft will leave Christchurch, New Zealand on Monday, April 23 (Christchurch
 time) to pick up the patients from the main U.S. research station in Antarctica. The patients are all
 employees of Raytheon Polar Services Co., which supports Antarctic research under contract to the
 U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). At their request, personal information and information about
 their medical conditions is being kept confidential.

 The RNZAF is undertaking the mission at the request of NSF through the New Zealand Antarctic
 Institute. NSF manages the U.S. Antarctic Program. New Zealand and the United States cooperate
 extensively in the airlift of researchers, cargo, and support personnel to and from Antarctica during the
 research summer season, which lasts from October to February.

 "The USAP is extremely grateful to the RNZAF for undertaking this mission," said Karl Erb, who heads
 NSF's Office of Polar Programs. "This action exemplifies the spirit of partnership that characterizes
 the relationship between the U.S. and New Zealand Antarctic programs."

 The flight is unrelated to the evacuation of Dr. Ronald S. Shemenski from NSF's Amundsen-Scott
 South Pole Station.

                                   -NSF-

 Editors: For updated information about the Shemenski evacuation from Raytheon Polar Services Co.
 see: http://www.polar.org/medevac/medevac.htm