Emergency airlift from Antarctica bases as Ross Ice Shelf breaks up

[Barrett808]

An Antarctic ice shelf used as a runway is breaking away, forcing an emergency airlift to close summer operations on the continent.

The situation is being complicated by the Christchurch quake which is limiting operations at Christchurch Airport.

Staff at New Zealand's Scott Base and the US's McMurdo Sound are scrambling to get people off Antarctica to Auckland.

With winter closing in, the prospect is that people either get out now or stay all winter. ...

Emergency airlift from Antarctica bases as Ross Ice Shelf breaks up

[jpak]

1. This is unprecedented - the Ross Ice Shelf is usually 2 meters thick - or more - this time of year

and it takes a major multi-ship effort to break out the ship channel to the station in mid-summer.

Total chaos for the US Antarctic program.

WTF!

:(

[Kurovski]

2. And away we go...

K&R

[robdogbucky]

3. Good thing there is no climate change, huh? n/t

[The Doctor.]

4. The canary is at an advanced stage of decay.

And there are too many ignorant people shouting down the warnings.

[Kurovski]

5. With the Koch brothers, for two, providing the funding. (nt)

[Barrett808]

6. Word. n/t

[Overseas]

7. Sad K&R. //nt