Footsteps of Scott plans kept secret

Press, 19 September 1986, Page 4

Footsteps of Scott plans kept secret

From

ROBIN CHARTERIS

London The Footsteps of Scott expedition’s organisers in London are keeping secret their plans to rescue three stranded members from the Antarctic ice shelf this summer.

Opposition from New Zealand and United States Antarctic authorities to the expedition’s activities makes this necessary, according to the expedition’s leader, Mr Robert Swan. “We have a plan finalised to evacuate our three men in February but we are not going to divulge it to anyone,” he said.

“The people involved down there who don’t like us might put a spanner in our works if they knew about it.”

Three members of the privately financed expedition, including Mr Swan, reached the South Pole last January only to

receive news that their support vessel Southern Quest had been crushed in pack ice and sunk just hours before. The United States National Science Foundation came to their rescue and helped airlift men and equipment off the ice, later submitting a fee of SUS2I,OOO. Three of the expedition’s members — Gareth Wood, Steve Broniand and Tim Lovejoy — stayed behind in a hut at Cape Evans to look after other stores and have wintered over there.

The expedition met with opposition from the Antarctic authorities. Claims by Mr Swan in July that the three men had walked 80km to Scott Base and back and were refused hospitality by New Zealand and American staff were' disputed but led to further criticism.

Mr Swan said this week the men had visited Scott

Base again to use Post Office facilities there.

“This time they were well received and given a good meal, so I commend the authorities there for that.” He confirmed that the recovery of the men would be a seaborne operation and that every trace of the expedition’s presence in Antarctica would be removed. “That was a pledge we made before setting out and we intend to keep it,” said Mr Swan. "I feel bad about not telling all our New Zealand supporters of our plans but it is best if we do not divulge them too early.”

Mr Swan and a small London-based team have been raising funds to pay off expedition debts. A lecture tour of the United Kingdom has begun and Mr Swan intends to give lectures in New Zealand early next year.