King Harald begins Antarctic visit

Norway's King Harald on Tuesday landed safely on the Antarctic Plataeu, to begin his three-day visit to the Norwegian polar research station "Troll", which was opened 10 years ago by Queen Sonja.

The flight by a Hercules transport plane from Cape Town to the polar runway took nine hours.

King Harald is the first monark ever to visit the Antarctic continent, and he was welcomed by the Norwegian staff in beautiful sunshine.

The king is accompanied by the Minister of Climate and the Environment, Tine Sundtoft and Minister of Justice Anders Anundsen.

At "Troll", which is staffed the year-around, the vissitors  will leaarn about Norwegian and international ice- and climate research, as well as research on animal life.

(NRK/Aftenposten)