Sick seaman airlifted from Antarctica

A man is recovering in hospital following a rescue mission involving five countries in Antarctica.

The Uruguayan crewman on foreign-registered ship the Paloma V suffered convulsions following a possible head injury late last week.

The Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Wellington arranged for the Marina Svetaeva, a Polish ship, chartered by Australians to meet the Paloma off the coast of Cape Hallet.

A doctor on board decided the crewman required further medical attention and he was flown by helicopter to an Antarctica New Zealand group camped at Cape Hallet.

A plane from the Italian base at Terra Nova Bay collected the man and flew him to the United States Antarctic Programme base at McMurdo Station, where he was examined again.

He was then flown to Christchurch on Saturday and taken to hospital.

- NZPA