Malaysia’s ‘ice queens’ enter Antarctica to retrieve time capsule

The Aweta team is led by polar adventurer Dr Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir. (Bernama pic)

SHAH ALAM: Members of the All Women Expedition to Antarctica (Aweta) have begun to approach their target in the South Pole.

An Aweta spokesman said the team, led by polar adventurer Dr Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir, entered Antarctica at 2am (Malaysian time).

“They have embarked on their adventure and their first journey is from 89 degrees south to the South Pole.

“So far, the team has managed to travel 2km and the weather there is sunny with the temperature at -29 degrees Celsius,” she told Bernama today.

She said the team members were in good shape and still trying to adapt to the situation there.

The team is on a mission to retrieve a time capsule planted by Sharifah Mazlina during her first mission to Antarctica in 2004.

The location of the capsule might have changed or become submerged after 14 years of being buried in the South Pole, or it might be inside the US Research Centre area.

The team, comprising pharmacist Nurul Atiqah Tamarun, 31; army corporal Siti Jumaidah Bensali, 34, and home ministry administrative and diplomatic officer Salehah Abu Nor, 33, began the mission on Dec 18 and will finish on Jan 3. - FMT