CaribWorldNews, LONDON, England, Tues. Nov. 23, 2009: A Jamaican woman who was part of a team hoping to make it to the South Pole, has pulled out.

Reports indicate that Kim Marie Spence pulled out of The Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Women`s Antarctic Expedition due to frostbite in her fingers. She was part of a women`s ski team making its way 900-km across Antarctica to the South Pole. 30-year-old  Spence from Kingston, Jamaica will be flying home .

Commenting on her departure from the team, she 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 realize 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 every luck for their exciting journey.`

The expedition set off from the Ronne Ice Shelf in Antarctica on Sunday and aims to reach the South Pole on  Jan. 1 - the date the Commonwealth came into existence in 1950. With Jamaica out, the expedition now comprises women from seven Commonwealth countries: Brunei, Cyprus, Ghana, India, New Zealand, Singapore and Britain.