Italian aircraft comes to Jacinda Ardern's rescue after her plane breaks down in Antarctica

An Italian crew came to the rescue after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern found herself stranded in Antarctica after her plane broke down. She was in Scott Base, a remote station on Ross Island, to mark the 65th anniversary of the site. Ardern was due to return to Christchurch at about 6 am Saturday, but the Airforce Hercules was unable to make the flight back.

An Italian plane was dispatched to bring her and her entourage back by Saturday evening. Earlier, her visit to the icy continent was delayed due to bad weather. The plane had to turn back due to heavy winds.

Also Read |New Zealand's PM Jacinda Ardern visits Antarctica to highlight climate change

Ardern also witnessed first-hand the effects of climate change and said that she saw melting glaciers. Ardern said scientists could see clear signs of a climate crisis, with huge cracks appearing in the melting ice sea and glaciers visibly changing.

She also made a trip to the hut of Irish-born explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, which was built more than a century ago.

"I think when you’re a kid and you read stories about Shackleton, you’d never imagine you’d have the opportunity to come. So, I feel pretty lucky. It’s a cool place," she said.

Scott Base will soon be demolished and a modern replacement will be built in its place.

“It’s one thing to read on paper and many of us will have heard about the research that’s been that’s been conducted here - but to be able to come and see it in person and talk to those who are part of it was something else,” she said.

“You can see why what they’re researching is so critical, not just to New Zealand, but to the world and it brings them back year after year.”

Ardern said it was important that the government pays heed to the research work being done there “because all of this work is in vain if we don’t listen to what the science is telling us".

(With inputs from agencies)