MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Antarctic flight collects Kirsty's body

THE British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Dash-7 aircraft used to retrieve the body of scientist Kirsty Brown from Antarctica, landed safely back in the Islands yesterday afternoon.

Kirsty died after she was pulled under water by a leopard seal while scuba diving at Rothera late last month.

The Falklands coroner, Nick Sanders, flew to the Antarctic base on Wednesday aboard the Dash-7. The aircraft took approximately six and a quarter hours to make the flight.

Two Twin Otter aircraft (VP-FAZ and VP-FBB) accompanied the Dash-7 to the Islands, for use as back up for the Antarctic operation.

Director of Civil Aviation, Andrew Newman, said that once the Dash-7 flight to Rothera had safely returned, "...the two smaller aircraft will be stored at Mount Pleasant until the other aircraft come down for the start of the BAS summer season when they will all head south again."

He added, "The Dash-7 will be making its way north after the Antarctic operation, back to Canada for BAS flight crew training and will return again in October."