Rodney Marks

Rodney David Marks (13 March 1968 – 12 May 2000) was an Australian astrophysicist who died from methanol poisoning while working in Antarctica.

[5] Amundsen–Scott Pole Station is run by the National Science Foundation, a United States government agency, although much work at the time was subcontracted to Raytheon's Polar Services Company.

[8] The National Science Foundation issued a statement saying that Rodney Marks had "apparently died of natural causes, but the specific cause of death ha[d] yet to be determined".

[1] The exact cause of Marks' death could not be determined until his body was removed from Amundsen–Scott Station and flown off the continent for autopsy.

Marks' body was held for nearly six months over winter before it could be flown to Christchurch, New Zealand, the base for American activities in Antarctica, for autopsy.

[11] Jurisdiction issues in the Antarctic are complicated;[12] most American operations within Antarctica—including the South Pole base—are within the Ross Dependency territory claimed by New Zealand, from where supplies are dispatched.

[13] An investigation was undertaken by Detective Senior Sergeant (DSS) Grant Wormald, of the New Zealand Police, at the direction of Richard McElrea, the Christchurch coroner.

"[14][15] DSS Wormald stated it was not credible to believe he had deliberately drunk the methanol, when he had ready access to a large supply of alcohol.

[16] In January 2007, seven years after the death, the case was again front-page news in New Zealand, when documents obtained under America's Freedom of Information Act suggested "diplomatic heat was brought to bear on the NZ inquiry".