David Bell
Dennis “Tink” Bell was on a 2 -year scientific mission in Antarctica
Bone fragments found on King George Island were identified as Dennis “Tink” Bell, a British meteorologist who fell into a glacier fissure in 1959.
In July 1959, Dennis “Tink” Bell was in Antarctica, in a scientific mission of two years for the Falkland Islands Dependencies Surveythe predecessor of the British Research Agency British Antarctic Survey (BAS).
So 25 years old, the meteorologist was traveling a glacier on King George Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula, in a team of two people, when unexpectedly the unexpected tragedy happened.
Bell fell into a glacier fissure, but survivedand managed to scream for help his colleague – who lowered a rope. The meteorologist tied it to the belt, and almost managed to climb to safety when The belt broke -Submitting it again in free fall. This time, didn’t shout.
Your colleague managed to return to the basealthough with hands with cold burns, but the bad weather conditions made any additional rescue attempt too dangerous.
66 years after the tragedy, the remains of the meteorologist They were now found – and brought back to the UK, says.
Ieuan Hopkinsresponsible for the BAS archives service, says that working in Antarctica in the 1950s and 60s It was extremely dangerous and, unfortunately, the Deaths were not rare. Bodies of other BA employees remain lost to this day.
“There was a average probability of 1 % that did not returnS, ”says Hopkins.“ It’s a really extreme environment. It is a really dangerous environment. We lost people. ”
Earlier this year, a team from Antarctic Polish Arctowski Station on King George Island Discovered Various bone fragments On the surface of the glacier, which had been revolved as it moved over the years.
“One Glacier is a large drying machineso things are always being moved, ”says Hopkins.“ I think the fact that we are talking about bone fragments It is an indication of the type of forces that are involved. ”
The remains were transported to the Falkland Islands on the Antarctic Investigation Ship Sir David Attenborough and then to the UK on a Royal Air Force plane.
The body was identified by Denise Syndercombe CourtForensic Scientist at King’s College London, comparing meteorologist’s DNA samples with those of his brother David Bell and Sister Valerie Kelly – who were “shocked and amazed”Because your brother was finally found.
The Polish team also discovered Hundreds of personal effects that one thinks they have belonged to Bell, including the Radio equipment remainsa flashlight, skiing rods, a wristwatch, a knife and an ebonitis pipe rod.
