3 Chileans trapped in Antarctic crevasse |
One captain and two sergeants were part of an eight-member Chilean army patrol whose vehicle plunged into the ice fissure during a mission Wednesday afternoon, the army said in a statement.
Five other officers managed to jump from the vehicle before it plummeted into the crevasse, and remained at the site overnight to resume rescue efforts early Thursday.
The head of the army's Antarctic Command, Col. Miguel Santibanez, said that "as time passes things turn more complicated."
But he noted that one advantage is that the four missing officers are probably protected inside their vehicle and have appropriate clothing and enough food for two or three days.
He described the vehicle as "a snowcar, similar to a double-cabin truck." He said the three officers were in the front cabin when the accident happened.
The army said temperatures averaged -5 degrees Celsius (23 Fahrenheit).
Additional personnel to assist in the rescue couldn't reach the site of the accident, as poor weather kept all rescue planes grounded.
But a patrol form the Argentine army's Antarctic command was reportedly on its way to the site of the accident to join rescue efforts. That patrol was in the area, near Chile's O'Higgins base, after failing two find two Argentine officers who suffered a similar accident on September 17 and have yet to be found. (Full story)
The Chilean army said that it will continue its rescue efforts until "all personnel have been accounted for."
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