What: Institut Polaire Français Aérospatiale AS 350 Squirrel helicopter carrying supplies between the French research vessel and supply ship, l’Astrolabe and the country’s Dumont d’Urville research base in Adélie Land.
Where: Antarctica
When: October 28, 2010
Who: 4 Fatalities
Why: After taking off from the French research vessel L’Astrolabe which is icebound northeast of the Dumont-d’Urville station, the helicopter went down in bad weather. The helicopter was last seen flying at 29 feet. The helicopter normally supplied the research base. Initially there was hope of one survivor. A U.S. Air Force C-17 flew over; the distress beacon was activated off Adelie Land, but cloud cover prevented visibility; bad weather complicated rescue efforts. An Australian unit which spotted three bodies dropped supplies and survival equipment. A doctor flown in later confirmed that the pilot, the mechanic and two employees of the French Polar Institute who had been aboard the helicopter were dead. The remains were recovered and flown back in an Australian Hercules C-130 to a chapel at the base. (US) McMurdo base and AMSA’s rescue coordination centre are assisting the French recovery team.
Two researchers were from l’Institut polaire Paul-Emile Victor, in Brest, Brittany, France.
