Antarctic scientist accused of threatening to kill colleagues trapped in research station apologises

The Antarctic researcher accused of threatening to kill colleagues trapped in a remote research station has apologised.

Scientists at the Sanae IV base in Vesleskarvet, Queen Maude Land sent an urgent email back to South Africa late last month pleading for rescue, claiming a member of the nine-person team had attacked someone and was issuing further threats.

The South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) said in a statement on Tuesday that the alleged assault between two members of the overwintering team was reported on 27 February, and the accused has “shown remorse”.

The DFFE said it was also investigating alleged sexual harassment but reports of sexual assault were “not correct”.

“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.”

The department said the minister, Dr Dion George, and the department’s director-general, Nomfundo Tshabalala, have “personally taken charge of the management process”.

“The department immediately activated the response plan to engage the individuals involved through trained professionals in order to mediate and restore relationships at the base,” the DFFE said.

“This process has been ongoing on an almost daily basis in order to ensure that those on the base know that the department is supportive and willing to do whatever is needed to restore the interpersonal relationships, but also firm in dealing with issues of discipline.”

The team is located 4,000 kilometres from South Africa’s nearest point on the base where temperatures can reach -40C and wind speeds can near 150mph during winter.

In a leaked email, a researcher said one team member had created “an environment of fear” on the South African base, making the researcher “deeply concerned” about their own safety and that of others.

The DFFE said it follows a “very detailed and thorough process” when it recruits staff “who are prepared to live in such confined and testing living conditions”.

Each team member goes through independent and professional psychometric analysis to ensure they are able to cope with the isolation, the DFFE said, and that they are able to “work and live with others in the confined space of the bases”.

“Only candidates who do not have any negative outcomes from all the background evaluations will be considered for appointment,” the DFFE said.

“The appointed overwintering team members are afforded the opportunity to undergo team building and training together in order to build relationships prior to the departure of the SA Agulhas II [ship], which is the main mode of transport to the scientific bases.”

The department added: “Even though all of the assessments and evaluations show no areas of concern, it is not uncommon that once individuals arrive at the extremely remote areas where the scientific bases are located, an initial adjustment to the environment is required.”