hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Antarctic blizzard prevents rescue of Russian ship trapped in ice
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Antarctic blizzard prevents rescue of Russian ship trapped in ice
Australian icebreaker, the Aurora Australis, has been forced by an Antartic blizzard to turn back just 18 nautical miles from the trapped Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy. The trapped ship has been iced-in for a week with 74 people onboard.
Australia's Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), co-coordinating the rescue, told Reuters that the issue which turned the Aurora Australis back was poor visibility. The Australian ship is back out in open waters and will attempt a second rescue when the weather eases up. A Chinese icebreaker, the Snow Dragon, was also attempting a rescue and turned back on Saturday. That ship has a helicopther on board, but it too, cannot be used because of weather. The Snow Dragon got within sight of the Russian research vessel. The Akademik Shokalskiy was on a private expedition to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of an Antarctic journey by Australian explorer Douglas Mawson. There are scientists, tourists, many from Australia, and Russian crew on the ship. The ship is trapped some 1,500 nautical miles south of Australia's island state of Tasmania and about 100 nautical miles from the French Antarctic station of Dumont D'Urville.
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Antarctic blizzard prevents rescue of Russian ship trapped in ice