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American Morning

Doctor Rescued From Antarctic

Aired April 26, 2001 - 10:09   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, now an update on the life and death mission to rescue that ailing physician from the Antarctic outpost he has been on. Dr. Ron Shemensky is being rushed back to the U.S. right now for treatment of pancreatitis, a potentially life threatening disease. Yesterday, the crew of a small plane completed the most dangerous leg of the journey home. They evacuated Shemensky from the Amanson Scott (ph) South Pole station to the Rothera Research Station, which is at the edge of Antarctica. The crew is now resting but they will soon be traveling on to the next stop, Punta Arenas at the southern tip of Chile.

And that's where our Gary Tuchman is. He joins us now by way of our now famous video phone -- Gary, good to see you.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Leon, good to talk to you, also.

For six months, Dr. Ronald Shemensky lived on the continent of Antarctica at the U.S. South Pole station. But if all goes well today, his first step off the continent will be here at the Punta Arenas Airport in the southern portion of Chile.

The first ever rescue from the South Pole during the polar winter has so far gone successfully. The ailing doctor was taken off from the South Pole yesterday in a small airplane by Canadian rescuers, an airplane with only eight seats, two engines, propellers and skis used for landings and take-offs. It was an eight hour flight to the Rothera Station. That's a British station on the tip of Antarctica so it's relatively temperate there, not exactly Tahiti, but much warmer than the middle of Antarctica where the U.S. South Pole station is.

All rested overnight there. They are now getting ready to leave the British station. Takeoff time is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Eastern time for the five-and-a-half hour flight here to Chile to this city which is the closest major city to the South Pole.

Once the doctor gets here, we expect him to say a few words to us. He's scheduled to hold a news conference later, spend a couple of days relaxing. The fact is, he's in satisfactory condition right now. He had a gall bladder attack. It led to this condition he has. But right now he will not need an ambulance when he gets here. He'll walk off, he'll rest, and then this weekend he'll fly to Colorado, where he lives, for treatment in the hospital. So, so far, so good with this mission. The hardest part is past us, the easiest part still to come and by Sunday the doctor could be home in Colorado -- Leon, back to you.

HARRIS: All right, good deal. Dress warmly, Gary. Good to see you.

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