Despite Rescue, Ice Drama Continues In Antarctica
Update: January 7, 2014: Both trapped ships were able to make their way through the pack ice as it began breaking up today.
All passengers from the ice bound AKADEMIK SHOKALSKIY were transferred safely to the ice breaker supply ship AURORA AUSTRALIS, using the helicopter from the Chinese vessel XUE LONG (pictured above).
AURORA AUSTRALIS was set to continue her mission and return to Tasmania with her rescued passengers, when the ice breaking supply ship XUE LONG requested assistance to escape from the ice herself. On Friday the Captain of the XUE LONG issued a distress call to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. Captain Wang has serious concerns about their ability to move XUE LONG through the heavy ice. AURORA AUSTRALIS has been placed on standby to assist, and remains in open water off Commonwealth Bay, shortly after being stood down and allowed to proceed on its resupply mission to Casey station.
Meanwhile 20 crew remain onboard the trapped AKADEMIK SHOKALSKIY waiting for the ice to break up.
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Read today that now the U.S. Polar Star is heading to the scene to attempt to free those ships that are still stuck in the ice.
It was in Australia preparing for work in Antarctica.
This is becoming more interesting every day.
Mark D.
A report from a Finnish website also indicates that the Finnish-built Russian icebreaker (proper icebreaker, not an icebreaking research vessel) KAPITAN DRANITSYN is also bound for the Antarctica. That said, this is probably not related to the rescue effort in question, as the POLAR STAR will rearch the area much faster.
I just find this whole story humorously ironic– an expedition sets out to find evidence of global warming & melting icecaps and becomes trapped in ice (as do the rescue ships) “much thicker than usual for this time of year”. And is it just me, or does the “AURORA AUSTRALIS” sport the most hideous color scheme ever applied to an ocean going vessel?
You gotta love it…. a bunch of “Global Warming” enthusiasts stuck in ice in…Antarctica. Who would have imagined? But seriously, just who is paying for all of this? Some poor sap taxpayer…
It should be noted that the effects of global warming are not linear. Some areas of the world are projected to become colder as the climate changes.
Is there any more information on the Polar Star? Did they ever actually get to the scene and if so are they able to help?
Mark D.
Mark: The ice situation eased and the two ships were able to free themselves before the POLAR STAR arrived on scene.