Ground crews needed to create a  runway with tracked equipment not designed to operate in the low temperatures at that time of year, the aircraft controls had to be "jerry-rigged" when the flaps were frozen in position after landing, and instruments were not reliable because of the cold. When they saw a "faint pink line on the horizon" they knew they were going in the right direction. This was the first rescue from the South Pole during winter.
The challenges faced by ground crews included building a runway with unsuitable equipment, improvising aircraft controls due to frozen flaps, and malfunctioning instruments caused by cold temperatures. The faint pink line on the horizon served as a guide for the crew during their first rescue mission in the South Pole's winter.