ANTARCTIC STATION HONOURS CANADIANS KILLED IN CRASH
No time frame on recovery of bodies
The cock pit voice recorder retrieved over the weekend from a Twin Otter plane that crashed in Antarctica, killing three Canadian crew members on board, is on its way to aviation authorities for analysis.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said the piece of equipment — which could help discover what led to the crash — is being flown to its laboratory in Ottawa.
“At this time, the investigation team is gathering available information on this accident,” the department said in a news release. “The TSB will take the time necessary to thoroughly analyze all of this information.”
Meanwhile, a memorial service was held on Monday (Calgary time) by the U.S. National Science Foundation at its Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station to honour the Calgary-based Kenn Borek Air crew members who died.
About 75 people — including three Kenn Borek employees — attended the 20-minute service, which included a moment of silence and the reading of the poem High Flight.
The Canadian flag at the foundation’s Palmer Station on the Antarctic Peninsula will fly at half-mast for three days in honour of each crew member.
“We have been privileged to experience first-hand their professionalism, skill, and dedication to the arduous task of supporting science in an extremely remote and inhospitable environment,” said Kelly K. Falkner, director of the foundation’s Division of Polar Programs, in a statement.
“In many ways, their contributions make possible hard-won but vital advances in scientific knowledge that serve all of mankind. Although everyone associated with the pursuit of science in Antarctica makes personal sacrifices to do so, very infrequently and sadly, some make the ultimate sacrifice.”
Aboard the aircraft was pilot Bob Heath of Inuvik, Mike Denton of Calgary, and a third Canadian identified in media reports as Perry Andersen of Ontario.
At this point, officials have not made any decisions on when they will return to recover the remains of the crew members after recovery efforts were called off due to hazardous conditions.
Crews were unable to reach the bodies as the wreckage is embedded in snow and ice on a steep mountain slope, and it was too dangerous to keep rescue crews there for long in the extremely low temperatures, officials said Sunday. They said they hope to return in the next Antarctic research season — which runs from October to February — to resume efforts.
Willard Hagen, a pilot and longtime friend of Heath’s, said he was saddened to hear that the recovery for the bodies was postponed, but understood the decision was made in the best interests of the field teams.
“They’re at the end of the research season and going into winter now,” he said from Yellowknife.
“It’s sad for the families for sure. But it would be even sadder if someone else died ... trying to get there.”
He said he will remember Heath as one of the most experienced polar pilots in the world and a respected and well-liked mentor to younger pilots.
The de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter — operated by Kenn Borek Air — was in the southern continent to support the work of the Italian Antarctic Program.
The plane was heading from the U.S. National Science Foundation’s AmundsenScott South Pole station to the Italian base at Terra Nova Bay when contact was lost, launching a search led by the Rescue Co-ordination Centre in New Zealand.
Rescuers were hampered by heavy clouds, strong wind and blowing snow.
Finally early Saturday, the plane was spotted by a New York Air National Guard LC130 plane, and later by another Kenn Borek aircraft.
The plane’s tail was visible at 3,900 metres on the 4,480-metre Mount Elizabeth.
As a fixed-wing plane was not able to land on-site, two helicopters — one from New Zealand and another from Louisiana — were stationed at a nearby camp.
However, with no sign of activity and the amount of damage sustained, the crash was deemed “not survivable” by Kenn Borek Air.
As a result, the search-andrescue operation became a recovery mission, with both the U.S. National Science Foundation and Antarctica New Zealand taking the lead.
In the end, important equipment was retrieved, but the bodies were unable to be accessed safely.
Kenn Borek Air has been in operation since 1970. According to the company’s website, 14 aircraft participated in its 2012 Antarctic season.