CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) – Buzz Aldrin says he was evacuated from the South Pole last week because he became short of breath and began showing signs of altitude sickness.
The 86-year-old adventurer, who was the second man to walk on the moon, released details on Sunday of his dramatic medical evacuation from Antarctica. He is continuing to recuperate in a hospital in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Because of the thick ice that blankets Antarctica, the South Pole sits at an elevation of 2,835 meters (9,300 feet).
Aldrin said in a statement he still has some congestion in his lungs and so has been advised to rest in New Zealand until it clears up and to avoid the long flight back to the U.S. for now.
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Online:
Buzz Aldrin: http://buzzaldrin.com/