On Sunday morning in Siberia (around midnight back in Western Europe), the Generali Arctic Observer team met up with Jean-Louis Etienne and his balloon in the middle of Sakha in central Russia. Once the balloon was totally deflated, the team and the rozière balloon were taken on board a large Russian MI-8 helicopter to head for Yakutsk, with the return to France scheduled for early in the week.

  Paris, Generali flight headquarters 11th April 2010: Jean-Louis Etienne did not have to wait for too long.  After a good night's sleep to recover, the balloonist was joined by his technical team early in Sunday morning. It took the team just a few hours to deflate the balloon, fold it up, stow away the gondola and load everything on board a huge Russian transport helicopter. I was very tired last night. I fell asleep while I was eating and woke up to find a spoon in my mouth! said a smiling Jean-Louis Etienne on Sunday morning. I slept like a log and now I'm feeling better. All of the equipment has been loaded onto the MI-8 helicopter. I'm now going to get a bite to eat and get myself warm.

  Now able to look back at what went on, Jean-Louis Etienne has been analysing the difficulties involved in such an expedition in comparison to his many Polar experiences in the past. I've done quite a few expeditions by land and by sea. The difference is that in the air, the slightest problem can be fatal. In the air you don't get a moment to rest.  If something is not right, you can't take a break and think about what can be done. You have to analyse things very quickly and come to a rapid decision. That's what makes everything in the air so exciting, particularly in such circumstances. I had some tense moments when I was flying low. I was practically bouncing along the ice cap at fifty knots. It was quite impressive. I finally managed to get some rest when I touched down on Terra Ferma.

  Hardly back on the ground, the untiring doctor-explorer is already looking towards the future and his next adventures. I've been thinking for two years now about a project for an ocean-exploring vessel, which will be able to sail around the Polar regions. But that's a long term project. Before that I'll certainly be getting in some more balloon flights. It's an absolutely extraordinary means of observation. You fly along slowly. There is no wind or noise. It's like having a balcony looking out over our natural world."