Türkiye successfully concludes 8th Antarctic science expedition

Turkish scientists have completed the country's 8th National Antarctic Science Expedition, returning home with valuable insights that shed light on the southernmost continent's secrets.

The team of 24 Turkish researchers returned to their country on Wednesday after a 36-day journey full of challenges.

Captain Dogac Baybars Isiler, deputy expedition leader in charge of logistics of the expedition, expressed that the team encountered numerous icebergs during the voyage — a sign of the worsening global climate crisis.

Isiler also emphasised the importance of safety measures during navigation.

"The abundance of icebergs in the sea poses a significant safety risk both during the day and at night. To mitigate these risks, navigation is conducted with the presence of both specially illuminated projectors and lookout observers during nighttime," he said.

"Observations and navigation safety precautions against sea ice and icebergs are essential for the ship's safety, ensuring that the entire expedition is completed safely and healthily for all of us," he added.

During the expedition, the Turkish team conducted research on various areas, including environmental and pollution studies, oceanography and hydrography, atmospheric and space observations, geology and geophysics, energy systems, meteorological measurements, and the development of bathymetric maps.

14,000-km journey

After completing their work on Horseshoe Island, where Türkiye's scientific research camp is located, the expedition team visited Dismal Island, then crossed the Lemarie and Doumer channels to reach Deception Island. Here, they joined two Spanish scientists aboard the TAE-VIII ship through logistical operations.

Arriving at Livingston Island after a four-hour voyage, a Turkish scientist working at the St. Kliment Ohridski science base owned by Bulgaria also joined the ship.

The science team, which carried out logistical operations at the Juan Carlos I science base owned by Spain on the same island, then sailed towards the Maldonado base owned by Ecuador on Greenwich Island.

There, the team were joined by another Turkish scientist working at this station. The team later reached King George Island, their final stop before Punta Arenas, after a stormy six-hour voyage through the sea.

After catching a flight from King George Island, they were set to return to Türkiye via Chile Punta Arenas, Santiago, and Brazil, Sao Paulo.

Due to adverse weather conditions, the team had to wait aboard the Chilean-flagged ship Betanzos for a month as flights were unable to operate. During the waiting period, the expedition team worked on their projects and spent their remaining time reading books and engaging in conversations.

At the Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Martin Airport on King George Island, equipped with a dirt runway where daily flights are operated, flights were unable to operate for days due to foggy weather.

As flights resumed, the expedition team continued their journey from Chile Punta Arenas to Santiago, then to Sao Paulo, Brazil. They concluded their 14,000-kilometer journey in Türkiye with their final flight from here.