Incident in Antarctica

		Subject: 10/9/96 McMurdo Incident: Press The following guidance has been provided by NSF in responding to any inquiries ASA might receive from the press in regard to the October 9 incident at McMurdo Station. Please note that all queries should be referred to Lynn Simarski at NSF and comments should be limited to those noted below. Jim Chambers ====================================== Press Guidance on 10/9/96 McMurdo Incident To be used only in response to outside inquiries Address further questions to: Lynn Simarski National Science Foundation Office of Legislative and Public Affairs tel. 703-306-1070 Q: Is it true that one individual attacked another at McMurdo Station? A: On the morning of October 9 an individual working in food service at McMurdo Station, Antarctica attacked two other workers in the station's galley with a hammer. Q: What is the extent of the victims' injuries? A: Both victims required stitches; one required 24 stitches. Both victims received medical attention from doctors at the base, are doing well, and are expected to recover fully. Q: Who are the persons involved in this incident? A: Both the alleged attacker and one of the alleged victims are employed by Antarctic Support Associates under contract with the National Science Foundation, which runs the U.S. Antarctic Program. Both these individuals have just completed a winter working at McMurdo Station. The other alleged victim, employed under an ASA subcontractor, arrived at McMurdo recently. All three individuals work or worked in food service in the McMurdo Station galley. Q: How common is this kind of violent incident in the U.S. Antarctic Program? A: Very rare. Also, all individuals who winter over at U.S. Antarctic stations undergo psychological screening beforehand. Q: Where are these individuals from in the U.S.? A: We don't have that information. Q: What are the individuals' names? A: We prefer not to give out that information for reasons of privacy. Q: Can you confirm that the individuals' names are.... A: Yes... (only if directly asked to CONFIRM specific names) Q: What has been done about this attack? A: The alleged attacker is being held at McMurdo Station until Federal Bureau of Investigation agents arrive there to conduct an investigation and to bring the individual back to the United States. The McMurdo Station manager is a deputized U.S. Marshal and is currently investigating the incident. The alleged attacker is being held at McMurdo; he is being observed around the clock and poses no threat to the station community. Q: What can you tell us about the attacker's motivation? A: A full investigation should bring all facts to light; currently we do not know why the attack occured. Q: Is it true that the attacker just resigned from his job at McMurdo Station? A: The alleged attacker had resigned from his job at McMurdo before the incident took place. *Q: Is it true that the attacker was due to leave Antarctica for New Zealand the day the attack occurred? A: The alleged attacker was scheduled to fly out from McMurdo Station the same day the incident occurred.



Subject:        10/9/96 McMurdo Incident: Press

The following guidance has been provided by NSF in responding to any inquiries ASA might receive from the press in regard to the October 9 incident at McMurdo Station. Please note that all queries should be referred to Lynn Simarski at NSF and comments should be limited to those noted below.

Jim Chambers

======================================


Press Guidance on 10/9/96 McMurdo Incident
To be used only in response to outside inquiries 
Address further questions to: 
Lynn Simarski
National Science Foundation
Office of Legislative and Public Affairs 
tel. 703-306-1070

*Q: Is it true that one individual attacked another at McMurdo Station?

A: On the morning of October 9 an individual working in food service at McMurdo Station, Antarctica attacked two other workers in the station's galley with a hammer.

*Q: What is the extent of the victims' injuries?

A: Both victims required stitches; one required 24 stitches. Both victims received medical attention from doctors at the base, are doing well, and are expected to recover fully.

*Q: Who are the persons involved in this incident?

A: Both the alleged attacker and one of the alleged victims are employed by Antarctic Support Associates under contract with the National Science Foundation, which runs the U.S. Antarctic Program. Both these individuals have just completed a winter working at McMurdo Station. The other alleged victim, employed under an ASA subcontractor, arrived at McMurdo recently. All three individuals work or worked in food service in the McMurdo Station galley.

*Q: How common is this kind of violent incident in the U.S. Antarctic Program?

A: Very rare. Also, all individuals who winter over at U.S. Antarctic stations undergo psychological screening beforehand.

*Q: Where are these individuals from in the U.S.?

A: We don't have that information.

*Q: What are the individuals' names?

A: We prefer not to give out that information for reasons of privacy.

*Q: Can you confirm that the individuals' names are....

A: Yes... (only if directly asked to CONFIRM specific names)

*Q: What has been done about this attack?

A: The alleged attacker is being held at McMurdo Station until Federal Bureau of Investigation agents arrive there to conduct an investigation and to bring the individual back to the United States. The McMurdo Station manager is a deputized U.S. Marshal and is currently investigating the incident. The alleged attacker is being held at McMurdo; he is being observed around the clock and poses no threat to the station community.

*Q: What can you tell us about the attacker's motivation?

A: A full investigation should bring all facts to light; currently we do not know why the attack occured.

*Q: Is it true that the attacker just resigned from his job at McMurdo Station?

A: The alleged attacker had resigned from his job at McMurdo before the incident took place.

*Q: Is it true that the attacker was due to leave Antarctica for New Zealand the day the attack occurred?

A: The alleged attacker was scheduled to fly out from McMurdo Station the same day the incident occurred.

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