Belgian polar explorer Alain Hubert plunders Antarctic base

A vanguard of Belgian soldiers and technicians led by Italian explorer Chiara Montanari arrived at Belgium's base in the Antarctic this week to find it had been plundered and left in a state of chaos by ex-polar explorer Alain Hubert, writes De Standaard. Hubert and his International Polar Foundation (IPF) last month lost a case contesting their removal from the current expedition taking place at the base, and the explorer was banned from the site.

When the new crew arrived at the base, they discovered that it had been broken into a few days earlier, and a lot of equipment stolen. There is video footage of the theft, despite attempts by Hubert and his team to cover surveillance cameras and erase the recordings.

According to the state secretary of science policy Elke Sleurs, Hubert and about a dozen helpers made off with vehicles, technical material, 7,000 litres of diesel fuel, engine oil, food and communications equipment. They were also very destructive, she says.

Sleurs reacted incensed by the incident, especially since a Belgian court recently forbade Hubert to set foot near the Belgian base. She has now taken the case to court and demanded a fine of €50,000 per day that Hubert does not return the material.