Drama in Antarctica: There is a Group of Scientists Trapped on a Remote Base, "Living in Fear" With a Crew Member Who Has Allegedly Assaulted One Colleague and Threatened to Kill Another
Toronto Sun- A team of scientists stationed at an isolated Antarctic base for 10 months sent an email begging to be rescued after one of their colleagues “assaulted” one colleague and “threatened to kill” another.
The nine South African researchers were dispatched to Sanae IV base, a research station in Antarctica, to study its climate.
The extreme weather doesn’t allow for the group to leave or enter the base, which takes about two weeks to reach from Africa, and they are alone for at least 10 more months.
However, one of the researchers sent out a troubling email in which they claimed a team member attacked them and posed a threat to the entire group.
Members of the group are “living in fear” of the individual whose “behaviour has escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing,” the unidentified researcher wrote in the email shared with the U.K. Times, which also did not identify the alleged attacker.
If somebody isn't already writing the script to this movie, they're missing out on a golden opportunity. There's already enough pieces there to slap a, "based on a true story" label on it. Just pick things up right from this email. The scary crew member's behavior progressively becomes more and more concerning… His co-workers (who's backstories we gradually learn through a series of flashbacks) fear for their lives… Eventually the scary co-worker gets his hands on a weapon and traps them all in a room… But right before he snaps and chops off the protagonist's head with an axe, South Africa's top psychologist (played by Tom Hardy) shows up on a snowmobile and saves the day… The surprise twist is that Tom Hardy was the scary guy's brother the whole time. Tom Hardy apologizes for abandoning his brother after their dad died, and convinces him to not murder the entire crew.
It basically writes itself. Even if this whole thing has been completely blown out of proportion, and 10 months from now all the scientists return home perfectly safe, it would still be "based on a true story" of a real-life group of researchers in Antarctica who feared for their lives. I'm sure that's good enough for Hollywood.
But in reality, I'm sure these guys are fineeee. I know it might sound concerning for 9 researchers to be trapped on a remote work base in Antarctica with an erratic man who's threatening their lives. 190 miles way from the next nearest base. With weather so extreme they're unable to leave even if they wanted to. And I'll admit, the contents of their "PLEASE SOMEBODY SAVE US" email do raise some red flags.
The Telegraph - “It is imperative that immediate action is taken to ensure my safety and the safety of all employees.
"Regrettably, [his] behaviour has escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing. Specifically, he physically assaulted [name withheld], which is a grave violation of personal safety and workplace norms."
“Furthermore, he threatened to kill [name withheld], creating an environment of fear and intimidation."
“I remain deeply concerned about my own safety, constantly wondering if I might become the next victim.”
However there's no need to fear. They only have 10 more months left on the base. The perpetrator has agreed to undergo professional counseling, and has issued a heartfelt apology to his victim and the rest of his co-workers who live in constant fear of what he will do next.
Independent - “The alleged perpetrator has willingly participated in further psychological evaluation, has shown remorse and is willingly cooperative to follow any interventions that are recommended,” the department said.
“He has written a formal apology to the victim and is willing to verbally apologise to all members at the base. The department has also implemented a longer term sustained intervention process through trained professional counselling services in order to restore the relationships and build a healthy working environment.”
All is well… I'm sure the guy was just having a bad day. You can get a little crazy sometimes when you spend that long trapped in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but white emptiness. But South Africa's 'Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment' assures us that everyone on the crew underwent strict psychological evaluations before they were deemed fit to embark on such an expedition. It's not like they just left their scientists stranded in the frozen tundra with somebody the entire crew had long been telling them was mentally unstable.
The Telegraph - The email claimed “numerous concerns” were raised about the man’s conduct by the overwintering team before the SA Agulhas II ice-breaking research ship departed for the season and left them stranded.
A source told the paper: “They were informed of the situation [at Sanae IV] well in advance – way before the season closed … Now there’s nothing they can do as there are no planes or ships going to or leaving Antarctica.”
“They had all the time to remedy the situation but they simply buried their heads in the sand hoping that it’ll go away. They were informed about the problem as early as December.”
Ok then… maybe we try to get them out of there. At minimum, it might be time to take a closer look at South Africa's Antarctic research program's policies and procedures. Maybe tighten up the vetting process a bit. Or at least send a documentary crew out there with them to capture the drama. This isn't even the first time they've had a problem of this nature. Not even 10 years ago, there was another incident where a crew member allegedly attacked a co-worker with a frying pan, and destroyed his bedroom with an axe.
The Telegraph - This is not the first time South Africa’s Antarctic research programme has encountered personnel problems.
In 2017, a team member at Marion Island was accused of attacking a colleague with a frying pan in the kitchen, then trashing his room with an axe.
We gotta get some cameras down there. Or at least someone to take notes for a movie. I really think there's something there. Small groups of scientists trapped together in close-quarters, slowly losing their minds, slowly growing to fucking hate one another. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. I don't know how dire this group's situation really is. I'm sure there are two-sides to the story. But there's a story in there somewhere. Fingers crossed at least one of them survives the next 10 months and lives to tell the tale.