Antarctica in South Africa hit attacks claims: What happened? | News about science and technology

South African authorities are placed on a crew member on an Antarctica remote research team (SANAE) in Antarctica, after reporting reports on his violent behavior, including physical assault and sexual harassment of his teammates.

The attack reports were first reported last weekend in the Sunday’s time newspapers of South Africa, who claimed that they saw the emails sent by a member of the crew to civil servants. That person pleaded to rescue and said that a violent staff member presented the death threats.

Officials said that the psychological advisors have remotely intervened since then and that the accused was a member of the crew “Cooperative”.

Here is what we know about the incident and research work done in Sanae IV.

What happened?

During the weekend, Sunday times reported that the “Real-Life Horror film” played on an isolated base of Antarctica containing the crew of nine-man.

The newspapers reported that the email was sent by the team member in the southern Africa Ministry, which oversees research missions. In the e-mail, a team member stated that another crew member, whose name was not published in Sunday times, attacked the leading base and threat to death.

“His behavior has escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing,” e-mail reading, according to the Sunday’s report, with the complainant “immediate action” from the authorities.

“I remain deeply worried about my own safety, I keep wondering if I can become the next victim.”

According to the BBC, which cited official sources, “the task of the team leader wanted to do the timing – task dependent on the schedule”, launched a change schedule, “the schedule started.

Where is the base and what is the team there?

The base of Sanae IV is about 4,000 KM (2,500 miles) from South Africa, 80km (50 miles) “interior” from the edge of the U.S. Queen of the Continent region. The three-layer, bright orange structure, it is located on a rocky exit at the edge of Ahlmann ridge mountains and surrounded by a glacial ice sheet. South African researchers collect scientific weather data for monitoring climate, atmospheric studies and geological research since 1960. years.

According to the information from the South African National Antarctic Program (SANAP), the current team is distributed 1. February and is taken by Mbulaheni Kelcey Maewasha. Other crew members include one doctor, scientists and several engineers.

Research teams as often they have to work together in the close neighborhood and on the background of enemy time – including 24-hour dark days in winter – a few months before I can leave. Antarctica now enters the winter.

There is little contact with the outside world. This team is expected to stay for 13 months, and one ship is supplied in December – next summer in Antarctica – according to the program website.

How did the South African government answer?

In the statement published on Monday, the South African authorities confirmed that they first received the message about the distress 27. February. This message reported the alleged attack on the base leader – Maewarshes, but unconfirmed officials are assumed.

The statement added that the Environmental Protection Department “immediately activated the response plan to mediate and renew the relationships in the basis” and that the incident and states of sexual harassment were investigated.

Officials said that the government staff from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Advisors intervened remotely. Officials said they were supportive, but also to be “companies in dealing with discipline issues.” No member of the team was appointed.

“The alleged perpetrator willingly participated in further psychological evaluation, he showed kayanja and willing to cooperate,” the ministry said. A member of the accused team also wrote a formal apology to the victim of the alleged attack, the statement was read.

Officials said that the team would not be evacuated.

All members of the crew passed the psychological evaluation before their deployment, the authorities said to test their fitness for extreme insulation and the weather to face, and all were declared fit.

“It is not uncommon for individuals to arrive at extremely distant areas where scientific bases are located, it is necessary to initially adapt environmental,” the Ministry of Environment.

What other countries have bases in Antarctica?

There are about 70 permanent research stations on the icy continent – as well as on the islands near it – managed by several countries. While some databases are active all year round, other objects act only during the summer months in Antarctica in October to March, when animal species are active.

Several of them, next to Sanae IV South Africa, include:

• United States: Station and station McMurdo-Scott-Scott-Scott-Scott
• China: Kunlun Station and Great Wall Station
• Russia: Vostok, BellingShausen, Progress and Mirny Stations
• Poland: Arctowski Station
• India: Bharati Station
• Brazil: Comandante Ferraz Station
• South Korea: Young Bogno and King Sejong Station
• Ukraine: Station Academician Vernadsky
• Chile: Gonzales saw Research Base
• Argentina: Almirante Brown Antarctic base

An Antarctic Agreement from 1959. He set up regulations for signatories and ensured that researchers and countries work together to maintain an intact ecosystem of continent. Stations are staff with about 1,200 people in all in winter months and in the summer of about 4,000 people.

Did there exist other violent incidents in the bases in Antarctica?

Such incidents, while rare, were recorded in such expeditions in the past.

• In October 2018, the sting reports in the dining area of ​​the Russian-operated research station Bellingshausen. The perpetrator, Sergei Savitsky, an 54-year-old electrical engineer, was removed and placed under “home arrest” in Russia. He is noted that he underwent “emotional syllable”. Complaint, 52-year-old welder of Oleg Beloguzov, who was injured and evacuated in the treatment for treatment, were later rejected costs due to Savitician remorse.
• Marion South Africa, which is close to Antarctica, not on it, reported a violent incident in 2017. After the team member broke the room with the axes with the axes over the problem.
• Teams from Australia and the United States have discovered allegations for sexual harassment of women’s crew members in separate reports ordered by Antarctic programs of Antarctica 2022. years. Members complained of unwanted demands for gender and presentation of pornographic material, including other issues.