Although there have been no confirmed Covid-19 cases in Earth’s southernmost continent, the disease has nonetheless taken its toll on those there. Just ask the researchers and members of the military who recently experienced major difficulties in making it back home from the two Spanish bases in Antarctica.
After being dropped off in Chile by the ‘Hespérides’ research vessel, an initial party was able to return to Spain in early March, but coronavirus-motivated air-space closures over South America then left a 37-person group stranded.
The situation left Jordi Felipe Álvarez, the head of the Juan Carlos I Spanish Base (WAP ESP-Ø1 picture above) , contemplating the possibility of a four-week-long voyage to Spain by boat. “It’s the most likely option,” he told the newspaper El Confidencial. “But we’re trying to avoid it so that people aren’t away for another month.”
According to reports, however, they were finally able to travel back home after a ‘humanitarian air corridor’ was established from Carrasco International Airport in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo.
Read more at: https://en.as.com/en/2020/04/11/other_sports/1586607691_521116.html