Scientists stuck at the South Pole for 10 months have said a member of their team has threatened to kill a colleague. Members of the research group from South Africa have been living in fear not of Antarctica‘s harsh conditions but because one among them posed a threat to the entire team at the Sanae IV base perched on top of an ice-covered mountain in Vesleskarvet, Queen Maud Land.

A researcher raised the alarm in an email sent to South African newspaper, Sunday Times, in which they pleaded to be rescued. The message read: “Regrettably, [his] behaviour has escalated to a point that is deeply disturbing. Specifically, he physically assaulted [name withheld], which is a grave violation of personal safety and workplace norms”.

It added: “Furthermore, he threatened to kill [name withheld], creating an environment of fear and intimidation. I remain deeply concerned about my own safety, constantly wondering if I might become the next victim”.

The member of the team has also been accused of sexually assaulting a colleague. Neither the email’s author nor the accused person have been identified.

The letter said the accused person’s behaviour has become “increasingly egregious” and the writer was experiencing “significant difficulty in feeling secure” around him.

In a desperate plea for help, the writer added: “It is imperative that immediate action is taken to ensure my safety and the safety of all employees”.

The team at Sanae IV includes experts in engineering, medicine and meteorology, according to the South African National Antarctic Programme. The base is run by the South African National Antarctic Program. They are conducting geological surveys, studies of the Earth’s atmosphere and climate monitoring.

South Africa’s Environment Minister Dion George said he would speak with team members to assess the situation for himself. He said there was a “verbal altercation” between the accused and a team leader which spiralled into a physical assault.

Mr George added: “You can imagine what it’s like. It is close quarters and people do get cabin fever. It can be very disorientating.”

The minister explained researchers undergo a rigorous psychological evaluation to determine how well-suited they are to cope with a demanding environment.

Dr John Dudeney, a former deputy director of the British Antarctic Survey, told the Express that the Antarctic environment is “pretty horrible”, with the mercury plunging to -20C to -50C and winds in excess of 100mph. As the continent nears winter, conditions will only worsen, making efforts to retrieve anyone from the base even more hazardous.

The expert said: “With Sanae, it will be isolated for most of the year unless there’s a heroic attempt to get in during winter. The summer season is closing down in Antarctica now. Ships and planes that have operated in Antarctica will be redeploying homewards.”

He said it may still be possible with careful planning to get people out of Antarctica at this time of year, but the risks of doing so in the continent’s worsening conditions would have to be balanced against the dangers posed to any rescuers.

The polar historian and author explained that South African authorities will now be evaluating whether they can send a team in, with other nations likely to be looking at how they can support any such efforts. He said: “It will take a deal of planning and a deal of risk to do it.”

Dr Dudeney, whose career spans six decades, said team members isolated in Antarctica would usually have to rely on themselves to solve any problems. He described the role of polar base commander as a challenging one.

He said: “It is a uniquely difficult job to build a team that respects them, works for them, follows them and does what they say. You don’t have any sanctions. You can sack someone, but you can’t send them out of the station. The commander at Sanae has my full sympathy.”

While Antarctica is known as a beautiful, mysterious place, it is also the coldest and windiest continent on the planet. The lowest ever recorded temperature on earth was -89.2C (-128.6F) at Vostok in Australia’s Antarctic Territory in 1983.

Winds speeds of up to 204mph (327kmh) have also been recorded on the continent, which is twice the size of Australia.