A researcher at an isolated station in Antarctica is said to have become a violent madman, as a result of which his team lived in fear and revealed a frightening culture of violence.
The unnamed male team member on the remote Sanae IV basis was accused of attacking one of the nine researchers from the South African crew, threatening to kill another and sexually abuse two women.
According to an urgent e -mail from a Sanae IV researcher to the South African government, the actions of the unstable man had become 'deeply disturbing' and the scientists needed an emergency evacuation.
The whistleblower revealed that the attacker 'Kelcey Maewashe' physically abused ', the leader of the team, and said that the rampage created' an environment of fear and intimidation '.
“I am very worried about my own safety and I constantly wonder if I could become the next victim,” she added.
None of the six men and three women in Sanae IV are amazing removed from the outpost, with the Ministry of South African environment said that the alleged 'perpetrator' apologized and was willing to take a psychological evaluation.
South African officials confirmed to DailyMail.com that Maewashe had been attacked, but their research also concluded that the alleged incidents of sexual violence did not take place.
Despite Minister of Environment Dion George who claims that the basis is now 'calm and everything is under control', this is simply the newest in a shocking pattern of strange behavior among scientists in Antarctica.
A member of the South African investigation team in Antarctica has been accused of a violent rampage on the Sanae IV outside post, officials did not say which person would have committed the actions
Scientists in South African Antarctic research base Sanae IV argue for help after one of the nine researchers became violent and attacked at least one person
Various Antarctic researchers have emerged in recent years to expose disturbing acts of violence and sexual abuse on bases about the frozen and empty continent.
Former American researcher Liz Monohon was threatened during an earlier mission and explained that the alleged victims in the South African team literally have thousands of kilometers anyone to help them immediately when someone becomes aggressive.
“No one except myself was there to save me,” Monahon told the Us Sun. “That was the thing that was so frightening.”
The South African Minister of Environment tried to explain the incident and say that the scientist who attacked Maewashe and reportedly threatened to kill his colleagues after the team leader of the expedition decided to change their work schedule.
'You can imagine what it is like. It's close and people get cabin fever. It can be very disorienting, “said Minister George.
The long pieces of insulation and working in narrow quarters means that every researcher has to undergo a series of background controls, physical and medical assessments and a psychometric evaluation before they are released for the expedition.
However, many of these incidents are not only cases in which scientists lose their cool.
In 2022, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the federal agency that supervised the American Antarctic program, discovered 59 percent of women that they had experienced intimidation or were the victims of an attack in Antarctica.
Monahon, a former ship mechanic at McMurdo Station that same year, revealed how she was forced to sleep with a hammer in her bra after she was threatened by a male colleague during their expedition.
Geomarr van Tonder (center) and two colleagues keep alcoholic beverages outside of Sanae IV. There are no indications that someone in this photo was involved in the incident
Maewashe (depicted in blue) and 4 researchers pose in the snow with beer bottles. It was not revealed if someone was involved in the incident at Sanae IV
One of the nine Sanae IV team members (depicted) e -mailed the South African officials who begged to be saved. Civil servants did not say who was responsible for the incident or who sent the e -mail
While on the American basis on the other side of Antarctica, Monahon is said to have been sexually harassed and physically threatened by a fellow research team member who already had a history of alcohol-related criminal offenses in New Zealand.
That Antarctic researcher, Bak Buckingham, is said to have taunted Monahon and another woman in an outpost bar – with various other men who would have someone with the women.
Monahon told The Associated Press in 2023 that Buckingham – an amateur boxer – approached her another time and said: “Snitches will get stitches” after she complained about his behavior to the employer of Buckingham, Pae.
'Bag Buckingham is a danger to me. He has threatened my life. He is able to hurt me and he wants to hurt me. … I have been living in fear for the past two days, “Monahon wrote in a letter to Pae's HR department.
Although he was removed from the expedition, Buckingham was never had legal steps or punishment with regard to Monahon's claims in Antarctica.
After the NSF report was released, Food -Steward Jennifer Sorensen emerged to admit that she had been raped at McMurdo station in 2015.
Another female researcher at McMurdo told us Marshals that a male colleague attacked her and found her by placing his leg over her throat so that she could not breathe.
“At the station I had no advocate to speak on behalf of my needs and protection, no prison to protect me against my rapist and no knowledge of any current law enforcement staff,” Sorensen told the AP.
The American researcher Liz Monahon was a mechanic McMurdo station in 2022 when she claims that a colleague expressed an expedition member had sexually harassed and endangered until he was removed from the Antarctic mission
Regarding the last disturbing incident, the researchers of Sanae IV will not be relieved to December, when the temperatures on the South Pole are at their hottest.
The research group consists of electronics engineer Nivek Ghazi, Dr. Sihle Mpho Lawana, Mechanical Engineer Nkululeko Welcome Khoza, Communication Engineer Athenkosi Mabope and Electronics Engineer Geomarr van Tonder.
Instrumentation technician admitted Tumelo Sekane, diesel engineer Alian Stuart Jacobs and electromechanical engineer Lebogang James Tsimeare also part of the team.
It is still unclear which of the five other men in the team became furious and activated the call for help.
Dr. Sihle Mpho Lawana is a dermatologist and the doctor on the Antarctic mission. She has been a doctor since 2019. Civil servants did not say that Dr. Lawana was involved in the incident
Crew member Geomarr van Tonder (left) has been an electronic engineer for the South African National Space Agency for 8 months. Nivek Ghazi (right) has been at the desk for almost 3 years. Officials did not say whether Van Tonder or Ghazi was involved in the incident
Although the team took different photos during the expedition with alcohol, there were no claims that drinking played a role in the violent eruption.
However, Monahon recorded a conversation with Holly Newman, a representative for PAE, where the company officer said there have been problems with alcohol and people who hurt other people in Antarctica who go back 'far before' 2015.
Wes Thurmann, a supervisor of the fire brigade who had worked in Antarctica, also claimed that the NSF often blamed for incidents of sexual harassment on alcohol.
In the meantime, the South African officials said that they started a 'professional' counseling service in the longer term to restore the broken relationships at Sanae IV.
Unless there are changes in the schedule of the Buitenpost, the other eight team members will be forced to live with the accused Madman for nine months.
