23 NOVEMBER 2009: PRESS BULLETIN

It is with much regret that 30-year-old Kim-Marie Spence from Kingston, Jamaica has had to leave the Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition due to frost bite on her fingers. The team left base camp at Patriot Hills at the weekend and started skiing the 900km to the South Pole on Sunday (22 November) but, following medical advice, Kim-Marie Spence has not joined them and is instead flying home to Jamaica.

Commenting on her departure from the team, Kim-Marie said “I have frostbite which goes to show what kind of place Antarctica is – it’s really tough and I have the blackened fingers to prove it. The doctor here has said that I cannot continue unless I’m willing to loose my fingers but that’s not the sensible route at this point in time. I wish the best to my fellow explorers and fellow colleagues. I know that they will reach the South Pole. I also want to thank everyone for the support that I have gotten. I will continue to follow this expedition.”

Eugene Kaspersky, CEO of Kaspersky Lab said: “We are so sad to hear about Kim-Marie’s departure from the team but realise that this difficult decision is none-the-less the right one. I am very excited to be meeting the rest of the team at the South Pole at the end of December and I wish them the best of luck for their exciting journey.”