Tragedy Strikes Maitri

1st June 2009 was a sad day for Indian Polar Science. Mr Kuldeep Wali, a scientist from the Indian Meteorological Department died of a massive heart attack. This is the first time that a team member of the Indian Antarctic Expedition has lost his life during the polar winter. Most unfortunate is the fact that his body cannot be brought home under any circumstances before October at the least. There is absolutely no possibility for a plane to land in Antarctica during the winters. The only 2 options are either to cremate the body of the scientist at Maitri, or to wait till the flights resume in October.

Such a situation would surely have shattered the morale of the 28th Indian Scientific Expedition, currently wintering over at Maitri. This is the worst that can happen in the extreme isolation of the Antarctic winter, possibly the most stressful time in the lives of most of the team members.