Аbout medical support of a unique arctic expedition of the «Captain Dranitsyn» icebreaker

Abstract

The article presents information about the international project MOSAiC, the largest polar expedition in recent years aimed at studying climate in the Arctic. At the center of the project is the Polar Star research icebreaker (Polarstern, Germany), which drifted along with sea ice through the Central Arctic from 2019 to 2020. The Polarstern has become the central observatory for atmospheric, ice, snow, oceanographic, environmental and biogeochemical studies. The Russian icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn took part in providing the expedition, which made 2 Arctic voyages to deliver people and various cargoes to the Polarstern ship. The diesel-electric icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn set a world record in the northern latitudes, for the first time independently reaching 88°28,4′ north latitude (the highest point, date of achievement — February 26, 2020). Medical support for the Arctic icebreaker’s flights was provided by the ship’s doctor FGBUZ SMKTS im. N.A.Semashko FMBA of Russia. The article presents the experience of the ship’s doctor in providing medical assistance to crew members and expeditions in extreme conditions of the Arctic.