Research team member at isolated Antarctica base accused of attacking colleague, sexual harassment

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A member of a South African research team at an isolated base in Antarctica was put under psychological evaluation after colleagues accused him of physical assault and sexual harassment, government officials said.

The situation at the SANAE IV base was first reported in South Africa’s Sunday Times newspaper, which said it saw an email from a team member to authorities pleading for help.

The email claimed that the man had attacked the base leader and made a death threat, behavior the team member described as having “escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing.” The team member expressed in the email being “deeply concerned about my own safety” and “constantly wondering if I might become the next victim.”

South Africa’s Ministry of Environment, which oversees the research missions, responded to the report in a statement Monday night.

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A frozen section of the Ross Sea is pictured at the Scott Base in Antarctica on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016. (Mark Ralston/Pool Photo via AP, File)

The alleged assault was reported on Feb. 27, according to the ministry. Officials and counselors intervened remotely “to mediate and restore relationships at the base,” speaking with the nine team members almost daily, the statement said.

“The alleged perpetrator has willingly participated in further psychological evaluation, has shown remorse and is willingly cooperative,” the ministry said, adding that he had written a formal apology to the victim of the alleged assault.

A view of the frozen sea from Queen Maud Land. (Kanus/ullstein bild via Getty Images, File)

The investigation is also looking into alleged sexual harassment, though reports of sexual assault were false, the ministry said. No members of the team were identified, and officials said none of the incidents required any team member to return to Cape Town.

Fox News Digital reached out to South Africa’s Ministry of Environment for details about what led to the alleged physical assault but did not immediately hear back.

The team, which includes scientists, a doctor and engineers, arrived at the remote base on Feb. 1 and is expected to stay for about 13 months, authorities said.

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The base is on a cliff in Queen Maud Land and is surrounded by a glacial ice sheet, more than 2,485 miles from South Africa.

Penguins walk on the shore of Bahia Almirantazgo in Antarctica on Jan. 27, 2015. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)

The team will endure living in close quarters through the hostile Antarctic winter, which has six months of darkness beginning in June. 

The ministry said that each team member undergoes evaluations, including psychological and medical, to ensure they can cope with the “extreme nature of the environment in Antarctica.”

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“Even though all of the assessments and evaluations show no areas of concern, it is not uncommon that once individuals arrive at the extremely remote areas where the scientific bases are located, an initial adjustment to the environment is required,” the ministry said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.