Ill worker begins two-week voyage from Antarctica to Australian hospital...WTF?

a reply to: Vasa Croe

It could be that listing his field of study would give away who he is, which they seemingly don't want to do. Again, in my opinion, for privacy reasons.

originally posted by: Grimpachi
a reply to: Vasa Croe

Yes, it is costly to evac someone from Antartica and no they have not released the details of his illness to the "world".

You mentioned helicopters, but I don't know of any helicopters with that kind of flight range and even if there are I know there are many heart issues that make flight risky to the patient.

Is it common practice to give out personal medical information about everyone in Antartica to the world or do they still have the right to doctor-patient confidentiality?

In past years, the US has evaced sick people from Australian stations by plane. We have pretty dang good cold weather ability. I don't know what the weather's like at the moment, though. Davis is in the armpit of hell down there.

And yeah, usually they say who it is.

originally posted by: KAOStheory
"Highly skilled tradesman_" conjures an image of a guy in a bearskin with some wampum and silver coins.
It's 2015, what does this mean? He works on Wall Street or what?! Weird.

It's the Aussie way of saying he was a plumber, electrician, mechanic, or carpenter. Maybe the machinist.

I'm more interested in why a highly skilled tradesmen/expeditioner is observing glaciers and sea conditions as opposed to scientists? Why the need to call in a tradesmen concerning glaciers?

I wonder if raping/pillaging Antarctic resources isn't behind the secrecy? Which trade typically observes glaciers/sea conditions and why? Just curious nothing personal there.

Wanting to know what they're doing and which trades are involved isn't personal in the least. It's a bit suspect to refrain from mentioning his skill set yet go on about how highly skilled he is. Wonder where he worked before going to Antarctica?

originally posted by: Morningglory
I'm more interested in why a highly skilled tradesmen/expeditioner is observing glaciers and sea conditions as opposed to scientists?

Is this the Antarctic camp way of saying he had to see a man about a wallaby? "Whoops, sorry Nigel, I got to go observe some glaciers" and then...the accident.

It's a bit suspect to refrain from mentioning his skill set yet go on about how highly skilled he is. Wonder where he worked before going to Antarctica?

Maybe he's the camp guard and he's SAS, and they just didn't want you to know that...well...he "observed that glacier" a bit too closely and got stuck to it, like that kid's tongue on "A Christmas Story". He'll be alright after a bit of surgery. Maybe.

a reply to: TrueBrit

I was suggesting while not an et maybe something alive not human that has been captured down there, the non human employee angle I hadn't even considered but find intriguing

originally posted by: kuhl
a reply to: TrueBrit

I was suggesting while not an et maybe something alive not human that has been captured down there, the non human employee angle I hadn't even considered but find intriguing

Kind of funny this was brought up since one of the quotes from the OP source says:

"All the signs from the medical reports are saying that its stable, but you can never take working in Antarctic operations for granted."

Notice he says "reports are saying "IT's" stable", not HE's stable.....LOL

a reply to: Vasa Croe

My crazy imagination imagines they mean the medical condition is stable when they say "it". But, my nutty imagination...it's actually probably an alien.

originally posted by: Pimpish
a reply to: Vasa Croe

My crazy imagination imagines they mean the medical condition is stable when they say "it". But, my nutty imagination...it's actually probably an alien.

Ha..yeah I am sure he is human, just the quote they used was funny in reference to the post about it being a possible alien.

Ok...I was just watching the video of the evac, and am even more puzzled now.

Here is the link to the video:

Video on this page

It almost seems as if they are filming it for a TV show with multiple angles and very obviously trying to keep the patients face out of view of the camera....so strange.

a reply to: Vasa Croe

I agree, and it is amusing. It's also pretty amusing that someone even brought that into the thread in the first place...hah. I guess if he is an alien, the top of their heads is very similar to our own, since that's what we can see in the photos.

I'm very curious if they will eventually post a follow-up to this once the patient gets better. I really hope they do!

Agreed Vasa. It's odd. Why go to such lengths to talk about how highly skilled he is and to film/document it but not go into more details about either the exact job, the exact condition or him?

"Look, but not too close..." A story - but not the real story or the whole story?

Classic deflection/distraction/disinformation.

originally posted by: kosmicjack
Agreed Vasa. It's odd. Why go to such lengths to talk about how highly skilled he is and to film/document it but not go into more details about either the exact job, the exact condition or him?

"Look, but not to close..." A story but not the real story or the whole story?

Classic deflection/distraction/disinformation.

Ha me kind of wondering if whomever it is may be very well known, and happens to ALSO be a highly skilled expeditioner. If this person was perhaps someone highly recognizable like a Prince William or Harry type of recognizable, then I could understand why they would not be able to release any information. the filming of the sequence for the evac is so highly edited and "professional" looking, I am wondering if they were filming some sort of documentary at the station and this guy was the lead or something.

Is there anyone in Australia that may be on a "recognizable" level like William or Harry types? Someone that has some pull over climate or whatnot that has skills and influence?

And yes, again, this is all speculation, but really just because of all the secrecy.

Prince Harry is supposed to be in Antartica hiking.. but i guess dude isn´t him.. Harry would be picked up by QE herself..

originally posted by: dollukka
Prince Harry is supposed to be in Antartica hiking.. but i guess dude isn´t him.. Harry would be picked up by QE herself..

Yeah...I wouldn't think this would be him, just someone as recognizable as him, possibly in the public eye quite a bit.

Here is another article on the evac that has some more stuff listed in it.

Source

It was the final phase of a mammoth operation that also involved laying a temporary pipeline to refuel the ship, which had to remain offshore due to a build-up of ice in the harbour.

So even more resources...they laid a temporary pipeline via helicopter to refuel this ship for this evac.....risking multiple lives for one.

Australian Antarctic Division Operations Manager Robb Clifton wouldn't elaborate on the man's illness other than to say it was not the result of an accident or incident.

So, not an accident or incident....

There were initial reports the man was a scientist but the AAD confirmed he was a tradesman.

And definitely not a scientist, specifically a tradesman.

What is a tradesman, who is not a scientist, doing observing glaciers and sea conditions? That makes it sound more like this guy was some sort of celebrity that was there for a show of some sort...."observing glaciers and sea conditions" sounds like a tourist on a boat to me.....just watching the scenery.

originally posted by: Pimpish
a reply to: Vasa Croe

I agree, and it is amusing. It's also pretty amusing that someone even brought that into the thread in the first place...hah. I guess if he is an alien, the top of their heads is very similar to our own, since that's what we can see in the photos.

I'm very curious if they will eventually post a follow-up to this once the patient gets better. I really hope they do!

If you mean me I never said alien though some other posters may have I meant non human sorry if I derailed in anyway.
Cheers

I just watch the video. For those wondering why they're "hiding" the man's face, it's freaking cold out there, in the minuses. Of course they've covering his face.

Here is my transcript of the video from :20 to 1:09 of the 1:48 video.

"Over the weekend, people have been working round the clock to refuel the ship and they've been working in quite difficult conditions, often below -10 degrees and with a fairly constant snowfall. Before the transfer of the patient, we did several test runs to make sure we could do that transfer safely and efficiently and in the end, it was done incredibly well by the folks in Antarctica.

The man who is a member of the station trades team is now getting good care and support in the ship's medical facility and that includes tele-medicine support from specialists and others here in Hobart. We've managed to link the patient up by phone to his family......." end.

Good conspiracy hunting my friends.

originally posted by: Vasa Croe

originally posted by: Irishhaf
That should get the conspiracy wheels turning at high speed.

That's what I thought as well....and the fact they only describe him as a "highly skilled tradesman" and the last line in the second quote saying it was a "mammoth effort"...just has me really wondering why the secrecy over this.

Were they working on something that naming this guy could potentially open a much larger can of worms.....as in was his trade something that would be completely out of the ordinary to be in Antarctica for?

Not only that, but the mystery deepens...what is a 'highly skilled tradesman' doing "..observing glaciers and sea conditions when he became ill."?

And then they say: " This is one of our very best expeditioners "...what then is he...a highly skilled tradesman, an oceanographer, or one of Oz's very best expeditioners?

And to take on a 'mammoth task' of rescuing him, sounds odd too.

You're right that it seems fishy OP (perhaps he is a highly skilled fisherman, tradesman, oceanographer, and explorer too )

Notice he says "reports are saying "IT's" stable", not HE's stable.....LOL

Hmmm...i did notice that, strange to say the least.

originally posted by: StoutBroux
I just watch the video. For those wondering why they're "hiding" the man's face, it's freaking cold out there, in the minuses. Of course they've covering his face.

Here is my transcript of the video from :20 to 1:09 of the 1:48 video.

"Over the weekend, people have been working round the clock to refuel the ship and they've been working in quite difficult conditions, often below -10 degrees and with a fairly constant snowfall. Before the transfer of the patient, we did several test runs to make sure we could do that transfer safely and efficiently and in the end, it was done incredibly well by the folks in Antarctica.

The man who is a member of the station trades team is now getting good care and support in the ship's medical facility and that includes tele-medicine support from specialists and others here in Hobart. We've managed to link the patient up by phone to his family......." end.

Good conspiracy hunting my friends.

Well that doesn't seem to be the case since nobody else is covering their faces and his is only covered in the shots where you may be able to see it. The helicopter shot does not have it covered when they are taking him out or putting him in, as you can see the hat he is wearing and the top of this head.