Well-known Belgian polar explorer and guide Dixie Dansercoer died on Monday after falling into a crevasse about 155-miles (250km) north of Upernavik, Greenland.
“Dixie fell into a deep crevasse last night. A rescue operation was launched, but unfortunately, it was too late. We have received confirmation of this from Greenland.”
Stefan Maes, who looked after Dansercoer’s press relations, told Belgian media
Dansercoer, 58, was guiding a single client on a partial south-to-north kiting expedition across the ice sheet. The pair had already covered more than a thousand miles over the previous thirty-one days and were just 275-miles (443km) from their finish in Qaanaaq. During the trip, scientific research into climate change was carried out, but sporting challenges in an extreme environment were a focus as well.
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According to reports, Dansercoer was man-hauling and noticed that they had strayed into a crevasse zone when the accident occurred around 8:30 pm. The pair were just about to stop for the day. Dansercoer’s partner, Sebastien Audy, was unharmed, although in shock, and alerted emergency services.
A helicopter arrived on the scene within hours, but the crevasse depth prevented immediate recovery of Dansercoer’s body.
Dirk “Dixie” Dansercoer (12 July 1962 – 7 June 2021) was a Belgian explorer, endurance athlete, and photographer. He held records or won prizes for high altitude mountain biking, windsurfing, ultramarathon running, and expedition filmmaking.
