Who is Joshua Spillane and Rodney Marks and why should you care? Two mystery deaths in Antarctica.

The formal search for Joshua Spillane, marine technician, ended at 1800 (EDT) on April 19. Joshua was discovered missing from the research vessel Laurence M. Gould on April 17. The ship was in routine transit from Palmer Station, Antarctica to Punta Arenas, Chile.

An exhaustive search has been underway since it was determined that Joshua was not onboard by the R/V Laurence M. Gould crew and passengers. In addition, the search has been augmented by a P3 aircraft flown by the Argentinean Air Defense search and rescue force. There has been no sighting of Joshua. The research vessel has begun slowly sailing northward and personnel will continue to look enroute parallel to their original course. The estimated time of arrival at Punta Arenas, Chile, is early morning April 22.

Tom Yelvington, Vice President of Raytheon Technical Services and Program Manager of Raytheon Polar Services Company: "It is with tremendous sadness that I announce the cessation of search operations for Joshua Spillane. Our Polar Family, especially our Marine Science division, has been shaken by this tragedy. To my knowledge, this sort of incident has never occurred on a United States Antarctic Program research vessel, and we will work diligently to learn more about the circumstances of his disappearance. All speak very highly of Joshua's expertise, experience, jovial personality, and numerous contributions to the United States Antarctic Program. Our thoughts and support go out to his family and friends. Our appreciation and thanks go out to all onboard the Gould, and the Chilean, Argentine, and U.S. authorities for their assistance in the search efforts."

[link to www.antarcticconnection.com]

"This Site is dedicated to Joshua Spillane. Our son, brother, uncle, and friend. Joshua disappeared off of a US research vessel on April 17th 2006, he is still missing. Nobody knows what happened to him. We still have no answers as to whether he is alive or gone. Neither the company he worked for or our government will help. They have lied to us and hidden things from us. Not everything written about his disappearance is accurate or honest and we have spent the last couple of years trying to find out why. We encourage you to leave any comments, messages, or anything you would like to add. Thanks, The Family"




"When a young astrophysicist died in Antarctica, his death was blamed on natural causes. Now, David Fisher investigates whether Rodney Marks' death was the first murder on the ice"

"The search for answers raised more questions. Why were there needle marks in the young scientist's arm? Why did the National Science Foundation - which answers only to the United States President - appear to block Wormald's inquiries?"

"So, in November 1999, Marks returned. He was among about 250 people who spent the summer at the base, with the number reducing as winter closed in. Of those remaining, only 10 were scientists, with the remainder forming a maintenance and management crew employed by the science foundation or its contractor, Raytheon Polar Services."

"Wormald needed witnesses, but was unable to compel co-operation. The United States Department of Justice made it clear that the coronial inquest was considered an "informal" inquiry in the department's view, and Wormald would have to contact the science foundation directly and ask for whatever help it was willing to give.

Years later, he would give evidence in court that there was very little help, and that what help there was came slowly. The NSF disputes this: a spokesman says it had co-operated "fully"."









The cause of the fatal methanol poisoning has never been determined, and the Marks family has given up hope of learning what happened. Paul Marks, Rodney's father, is quoted as saying "... And I don't think we are going to try to find out any more in regards to how Rodney died. I'd see that as a fruitless exercise."
[link to en.wikipedia.org]

Sonja Wolter was at the scene of both "accidents". Both times the families are both stoned walled and left with no real answers. So what really happened? Did Sonja murder both these men?

Last Edited by Plasmare on 12/13/2011 12:20 PM