To date, how many people have died in Antarctica?

Arpeggionist

My guess is around 15. Several expeditions to the south pole ended in disaster and death - including Robert Scott's expedition (the first to set out, the second to arrive at the pole). Apr 14 05, 2:36 AM

peasypod

What about the Air New Zealand DC10 en route to the South Pole that crashed into Mount Erebus in Antarctica, killing all 257 people aboard in 1979? Apr 14 05, 3:21 AM

Arpeggionist

Didn't know about that. So around 300 people in total. Apr 14 05, 5:54 AM

gmackematix

Any advances on that piece of guesswork? Apr 14 05, 6:33 PM

gmackematix

Here are 57 scientists who died there from 1955 to 1999. I must admit I'm not even sure who is the first recorded person to have died there yet. http://www.radiocom.net/vx6/memorial.htm Apr 16 05, 12:37 AM

Arpeggionist

Since Scott and Admundsen tried to reach the pole in 1911, Scott was among the first people to die there. Captain James Cook figured he'd gotten as far south as man would ever get on this planet when he sailed between the Antarctic iceburgs, and he was scared of setting his foot on the continent of Antarctica. Before Cook sailed the southern ocean, there is no record of any human ever having been anywhere near Antarctica. Apr 16 05, 11:25 AM

gmackematix

I'm sure that the members of Scott's 1911/12 expedition weren't the first to die there because I know a member of one of Scott's earlier expeditions died an Antarctic death in 1902. Apr 16 05, 7:51 PM

Arpeggionist

Still before 1955. Apr 17 05, 1:50 AM

gmackematix

Yes, very still. So what. Apr 17 05, 11:44 AM