Missing plane found in Antarctica

The wreckage of the Twin Otter aircraft (DHC-6/300) operated by Kenn Borek Air (Canada), crashed during the transfer flight from the US “Amundsen-Scott” South Pole Station to the Italian “Mario Zucchelli” Station at Terra Nova Bay, has been found. Aboard the aircraft were the Chief Pilot Bob Heath of Inuvik, a highly respected pilot with great flying experience in polar environments, the young co-pilot Mike Denton of Calgary and a third Canadian indicated in media reports as Perry Anderson of Collingwood, Ontario. Very sadly they did not survive the plane crash.

The emergency locator transmitter sent signals in the Antarctic skies from the vicinity of the mountainous region of the Queen Alexandra Range (where peaks rise to 4500 m) at about 750 km from the South Pole and 1000 km from Mario Zucchelli Station). Signals have been picked up at 10:00 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) on Wednesday, January 23, 2013. The transfer of the aircraft to the Italian “Mario Zucchelli” Station (at Terra Nova Bay in the Victoria Land) was necessary to begin operations in support of the Italian National Antarctic Program (PNRA) in the closing phase of the summer season of the 28th Italian Expedition in Antarctica (2012-13).

The rescue operation, carried out by New Zealand, American, and Canadian personnel, in the area covered by the Rescue Coordination Centre of New Zealand, have made ​​it possible to locate the wreckage of the plane at an altitude of 3900 m on a steep slope of Mt. Elisabeth, in the basin of the Beardmore Glacier. Recovery operations, very difficult and hazardous to be activated during this period, will be carried out only next year, given the incoming winter conditions. The cockpit voice recorder was recovered in the accessible part of the plane. It hopefully should help to shed light on the incident.

The well-established collaboration with the “Kenn Borek” allowed PNRA to achieve many missions that saw Italian personnel involved, both for logistical support to the Italian-French  "Concordia" Station and for carrying out research activities in Victoria Land on the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Since many years the staff of Kenn Borek is at home at "Mario Zucchelli" Station and the tragic loss of these three lives is particularly felt and burning. Captain Bob Heath, a Mentor for many young pilots he trained to the harsh polar flights, was much loved for his human qualities. Bob, as well as being a friend, was a member of the family for all the Italian personnel involved in Antarctica. We will miss you.

Massimo Frezzotti
Head Antarctic Technical Unit
massimo.frezzotti@enea.it