Forgot your password?
Antarctic Rescue: Chinese Ship Xue Long 'Stuck In Ice'
BBC NEWS, ASIA
January 4, 2014: The Chinese ice-breaker that helped rescue passengers stranded on the Akademik Shokalskiy vessel in Antarctica is now stuck itself. An Australian ice-breaker carrying the rescued passengers is no longer on standby and is returning to shore.
On Thursday, a helicopter from the Chinese ship Xue Long transferred 52 passengers from the Akademik Shokalskiy to the Aurora Australis. The Russian boat has been trapped by thick floes of ice since 24 December.
"Xue Long's attempt to maneuver through the ice... was unsuccessful. Xue Long has confirmed to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) [that] it is beset by ice," Amsa said in a statement on Saturday. "The master of Xue Long has confirmed to Amsa that the ship is safe, it is not in distress and does not require assistance at this time," Amsa said, adding that there was no immediate danger to the ice-breaker's crew.
BBC reporter Andrew Luck-Baker on board the Aurora Australis, said: "The irony of the situation is that the Xue Long was originally summoned to break a clear route through the pack ice to the smaller Russian vessel. That was not possible and the large icebreaker is now trapped itself."
