The five-hour flight across the Drake Passage to Chile marked the last leg of Shemenski's long journey out of Antarctica. The airlift was one of the riskiest efforts ever by a small plane to the South Pole, with the pilots of the eight-seat craft braving snow, cold of minus 65 degrees, high winds and the darkness of the long polar winter. Weather makes any flights to the station extremely hazardous from late February until November. The rescue journey began Saturday, when the Twin Otter plane, which had arrived from Canada, took off from Punta Arenas for the Rothera base en route to the South Pole station. After reaching the Pole on Tuesday, the plane remained overnight in subfreezing temperatures on an icy runway and then made a more than eight-hour return flight Wednesday night to Rothera.
Pancreatitis can happen when a gallstone passes down the bile duct, irritating the pancreas.
In Punta Arenas, Shemenski was expected to get a medical checkup, rest overnight and take a commercial flight to the United States. Rescue officials said Shemenski was in stable condition and walking by himself. His family expressed relief Wednesday when he arrived in Rothera. He described his brother as an adventurer who flew his own stunt plane and traveled worldwide. They still have a long way to go.