A Chinese helicopter flew over a Russian ship, trapped in Antarctic sea-ice since Christmas Day, as icebreakers make their way to help the stranded vessel. Sarah Toms reports.
MOST of the passengers and some of the crew stranded on a scientific expedition ship off Antarctica will be evacuated by a Chinese helicopter should the weather allow, Russian authorities say.
"A decision has been reached to evacuate 52 passengers and four crew members by helicopter from China's Xue Long ship, should the weather allow," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Russian-flagged MV Akademik Shokalskiy has been stuck on an ice field since last week with 74 people on board. The multinational passenger list includes scientists as well as tourists and crew.
Snow gusts that severely hampered visibility on Monday forced the icebreaker Aurora Australis to turn around, passengers aboard the stricken MV Akademik Shokalskiy had been told to prepare for the "worst case scenario".
The Moscow ministry's statement said its diplomats in Australia had received assurances from the MV Akademik Shokalskiy's Russian captain that everybody on board the ship was safe.
MV Akademik Shokalskiy crew outside the stranded boat on Saturday/ Picture: Andrew Peacock of www.footloosefotography.com Source: AFP
"According to (the captain), all the crew and other members of the expedition are in good health," the Russian ministry statement said.
"Neither their lives nor safety are under threat."
The Aurora battled its way through the freezing conditions and had come within 10 nautical miles of the Russian passenger ship, which has been wedged in a 20 nautical mile wide ice floe since Christmas Eve.
But 30-knot winds and driving snow has forced the rescue icebreaker to turn back.
"These weather conditions have resulted in poor visibility and made it difficult and unsafe for the Aurora Australis to continue (the) attempt to assist the MV Akademik Shokalskiy," the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said in a statement.
The Aurora Australis is pushing through thick ice to reach the stricken Russian ship. Source: Supplied
"Further attempts may be made by the vessel in due course to undertake the rescue once weather conditions improve.
"The Aurora Australis made it within 10 nautical miles of the MV Akademik Shokalskiy but is now located in open waters about 18 nautical miles east of the Russian vessel."
Onboard the Finnish-built Shokalskiy were 26 tourists, 22 Russian crew, four UK journalists and 22 scientists from Australia and New Zealand hoping to recreate Sir Douglas Mawson's epic Antarctic expedition to Commonwealth Day.
An earlier attempt by Chinese icebreaker Snow Dragon to reach the ship was also abandoned on Saturday when it, too, encountered impenetrable ice.
A penguin looks on with the stranded ship in the background / Picture: Andrew Peacock of www.footloosefotography.com Source: AFP
It was hoped the Aurora, with its higher icebreaking rating, would be able to cut its way through but an Antarctic "white out" was making for slow progress.
"The area is currently experiencing snow showers, resulting in poor visibility," AMSA spokeswoman Lisa Martin said earlier today.
"The Aurora Australis is travelling slowly due to the conditions to ensure the safety of all on board."
The expedition is being led by University of NSW Professor Chris Turney who continues to post updates on social media.
Picture: Andrew Peacock of www.footloosefotography.com Source: AFP
On Sunday, after conditions eased and temperatures reached 2C, he said cracks in the ice had begun appearing around the ship.
"Cracks are developing around the bow. Hope this helps," he wrote on Twitter.
But with a return of inclement weather he said a satellite report "shows mass breakout of old sea ice from other side of Mertz Glacier" - the same direction as the choking ice floes which trapped the Shokalskiy a week ago at Cape de la Motte.
"Wind picked and it's snowing as forecast for this am Good news: Aurora making attempt from E [east]" he posted yesterday.
"High winds this am; sorry for limited comms. Set up tent on top deck. All well. Aurora making good progress. Waiting game!"
Picture: Andrew Peacock of www.footloosefotography.com Source: AFP
ICE-STRANDED EXPLORERS' MESSAGE:
A statement from the Australasian Antarctic Expedition:
We're stuck in our own experiment. We came to Antarctica to study how one of the biggest icebergs in the world has altered the system by trapping ice. We followed Sir Douglas Mawson's footsteps into Commonwealth Bay, and are now ourselves trapped by ice surrounding our ship.
Sea ice is disappearing due to climate change, but here ice is building up. We have found this has changed the system on many levels. The increase in sea ice has freshened the seawater below, so much so that you can almost drink it. This change will have impacts on the deep ocean circulation.
Underwater, forests of algae are dying as sea-ice blocks the light. Who can say what effects the regional circulation changes may have on the ice sheet of the Antarctic plateau, or whether the low number of seals suggests changes to their population.
Picture: Andrew Peacock of www.footloosefotography.com Source: AFP
According to his blog, UK science journalist Alok Jha aboard the Shokalskiy said passengers were given daily briefings on the rescue mission with some asking questions about how the evacuation would work.
Picture: Andrew Peacock of www.footloosefotography.com Source: AFP
He said they also asked how many possessions they would be allowed to take and how they could contact family and airlines back home, given the ship's limited telecommunications.
"If the joint efforts of the Aurora Australis and [Snow Dragon] don't work, the only other option will be to evacuate the ship by air, though this would be the absolute worst case scenario," he posted.
Picture: Andrew Peacock of www.footloosefotography.com Source: AFP
Thick ice hampers the rescue of a Russian ship on a research mission trapped in Antarctica. Sarah Toms reports.
