The MV Akademik Shokalskiy is pictured stranded in ice in Antarctica, December 29, 2013. An Antarctic blizzard has halted an Australian icebreaker’s bid to reach a Russian ship trapped for a week with 74 people onboard, rescuers said on Monday. REUTERS/Andrew Peacock
By Maggie Lu Yueyang
SYDNEY, Dec 30 (Reuters) – An Antarctic blizzard has halted an Australian icebreaker’s bid to reach a Russian ship trapped for a week with 74 people onboard, rescuers said on Monday.
The Aurora Australis had to return to open waters about 18 nautical miles from the stranded Akademik Shokalskiy because of poor visibility, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which is co-ordinating the rescue, told Reuters.
The Australian vessel had reached as close as about 10 nautical miles from the trapped ship before turning back.
“The weather condition is not safe for it to proceed, and it’s gone back to open water,” said AMSA spokeswoman Lisa Martin.
A Chinese icebreaker, the Snow Dragon, has been halted by thick ice within sight of the ship. The Snow Dragon had a helicopter on board that could be used to rescue passengers if the Aurora Australis failed to get through, AMSA said earlier, but the aircraft was grounded by the snow.
“We can’t fly a helicopter in these conditions either. There is essentially nothing we can do at this point of time,” Martin said.
The Aurora Australis would have to wait for the weather to improve before a second rescue attempt, she added.
Asked whether the passengers would have to see in the New Year on the stranded ship, she said: “It certainly looks like they will be there tomorrow.”
The Russian ship left New Zealand on Nov. 28 on a private expedition to commemorate the 100th anniversary of an Antarctic journey led by famed Australian explorer Douglas Mawson.
It became trapped on Dec. 24 100 nautical miles east of French Antarctic station Dumont D’Urville and about 1,500 nautical miles south of Australia’s southern island state of Tasmania.
The Akademik Shokalskiy’s 74 passengers include scientists and tourists, many of them Australian, and 22 Russian crew. (Reporting by Maggie Lu Yueyang; Editing by Nick Macfie)
© 2013 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 110,162 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
A Russian Navy frigate equipped with new generation hypersonic cruise missiles has conducted drills in the English Channel and is carrying out tasks in the Atlantic Ocean, Russian news agencies reported on Tuesday.
(Bloomberg) — Chinese lawmakers got a head start on the US election this week as they gathered to vote on the largest fiscal package since the pandemic. But now that...
by Ossian Shine, (Reuters) – Germany’s Red Bandit, skippered by Carl-Peter Forster, was crowned winner of the 45th Rolex Middle Sea Race, becoming the third German yacht to win the prestigious offshore challenge. Following...
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 110,162 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
