Sunday Times 2
Rescue of stranded Antarctic ship stalls
View(s):SYDNEY, Dec 28 (AFP) -Passengers onboard a ship stuck in ice off Antarctica were today placing their hopes in the Australian icebreaker hurrying to their remote location, after a Chinese icebreaker failed to free them.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which is coordinating the rescue of the Russian passenger ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy, said the icebreaker came within six-and-a-half nautical miles of the ship but had to stop.
This image taken by Andrew Peacock of www.footloosefotography.com on December 28 shows an inquisitive Adelie Penguin next to the stranded ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy, which is trapped in the ice at sea off Antarctica (AFP)
“The Chinese vessel unfortunately encountered some heavy ice that it’s not capable of breaking through,” AMSA spokeswoman Andrea Hayward-Maher told AFP. “The rescue… unfortunately has stalled.” The Russian ship, with 74 scientists, tourists and crew on board, has been trapped in ice about 100 nautical miles east of the French base Dumont d’Urville since Tuesday.
The Chinese vessel came tantalisingly close to the stranded ship but it was forced to turn back to open sea once it realised it could not break through.
Passengers are now waiting for the arrival, expected late Sunday, of Australia’s Antarctic resupply ship Aurora Australis which has the highest icebreaking rating of the three vessels originally asked to respond.
“We all know that there’s a possibility of this becoming quite a protracted sit and wait,” said Andrew Peacock, a passenger onboard the Akademik Shokalskiy, speaking to AFP via satellite phone.
“I think people are just looking at that next step when that second icebreaker arrives.
“We really are just hoping that the… two powerful icebreaker ships will provide the breakage of ice that we need.” Peacock said while there was an element of frustration at the turn of events, passengers had been delighted the Chinese ship had been able to get close to their remote location as quickly as it did.
“It certainly tried hard,” Peacock said, adding it was still visible off the ship’s starboard side when it was not snowing.
“A helicopter equipped Chinese flagged vessel remains in the vicinity to assist if necessary,” it said in a statement.
The Akademik Shokalskiy is carrying scientists and tourists who are following the Antarctic path of explorer Sir Douglas Mawson a century ago and Peacock, the expedition’s doctor, said the work was continuing.
Some passengers were also walking near the boat, watching the Adelie penguins and the ice formations which had formed around the ship in the past few days, he said.
The group, which includes Australians, New Zealanders and Britons, became stuck when unexpected weather forced their ship into heavy ice. An intense blizzard appears to have increased the build up of ice around them.
“So when we get the midnight sun and the shadows thrown across… it’s absolutely spectacular.” They have been onboard for three weeks and had planned to return to New Zealand by early January.
Peacock said the ship was well supplied and all passengers were comfortable.
“The beer is running low,” he joked.