The ship, the Akademik Shokalskiy, has been stuck in the ice 100 nautical miles east of the French base Dumont d'Urville since December 24 with its crew of 22 and 52 passengers, many of them scientists.
The helicopter, from a nearby Chinese ship, the Xue Long, landed on the ice near the Russian ship, and then flew the passengers to an Australian ship, the Aurora Australis.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), the coordinating body for the rescue, said: “Aurora Australis has advised AMSA that the 52 passengers from the Akademik Shokalskiy are now on board.”
Photos posted on Twitter by a scientist on the ship showed the Russian-built Kamov helicopter touching down on the ice nearby.
The Shokalskiy’s crew of 22 will remain on board, waiting for warmer weather when the ship can make its own way out of the ice.
- The rescue mission had been put off earlier due to the weather conditions, according to AMSA.
The agency described the ship, built by a Finnish shipyard for the Soviet Union in 1982 for polar research, as “fully ice-strengthened.”
Updated at 3:40 p.m. with new lead and statement from rescue authority that passengers have been rescued
http://en.ria.ru/world/20140102/186163137/Passenger-Rescue-From-Stranded-Russian-Ship-Delayed-by-Ice.html
2/1/13
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Related:
Chinese Rescue Icebreaker May be Stuck in Antarctic Ice...
ReplyDeleteAll 52 passengers aboard a Russian research ship stuck in ice for over a week in Antarctica were airlifted to safety Thursday, but now there are concerns that a Chinese vessel involved in the rescue has also gotten stuck.
On Friday, the crew of the Chinese icebreaker Snow Dragon, which provided the helicopter used in the airlift, said they were worried about their ship's ability to move through the thick sea ice after remaining stationary for several days.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority reported that the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis, tasked with taking the rescued passengers back to Australia, has been instructed to stay in the area temporarily in case the Snow Dragon needs help. The Authority said the crew of the Chinese ship will attempt to break through to open water early Saturday when tidal conditions are more favorable.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said Thursday that the passengers had been safely evacuated from the Akademik Shokalskiy, which has been stranded since December 24.
All passengers aboard the research ship were airlifted to safety after a rescue helicopter was finally able to land nearby.
Chris Turney, one of the scientists on the ship, posted a message to Twitter saying the passengers reached a nearby Australian icebreaker ship "safe and sound."
The passengers - including scientists, tourists, and journalists - were airlifted 12 at a time to the Australian vessel.
Blizzard conditions hampered previous attempts to evacuate the passengers by helicopter. Icebreaker ships from China, Australia and France had also failed to reach the Russian vessel.
Seventy-four people were on board the Akademik Shokalskiy, which has weeks of supplies and is in no danger of sinking. Most of the 22-member Russian crew are expected to stay behind and wait for the ice to break up naturally.
The Russian ship, which left New Zealand on November 28, was trying to recreate Australian explorer Douglas Mawson's century-old voyage to Antarctica.
http://www.voanews.com/content/chinese-rescue-icebreaker-may-be-mired-in-antarctic-ice/1822592.html
3/1/14
Chinese icebreaker stuck after helping in Antarctic rescue....
ReplyDeleteSYDNEY — A Chinese icebreaker that helped rescue 52 passengers from a Russian ship stranded in Antarctic ice found itself stuck in heavy ice today (Jan 3), further complicating the 9-day “roller-coaster” rescue operation.
The Snow Dragon had ferried the passengers from the stranded Russian ship to an Australian icebreaker late yesterday. It now had concerns about its own ability to move through heavy ice, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said.
“It will attempt to manoeuvre through the ice when tidal conditions are most suitable during the early hours of 4 January 2014,” AMSA said.
The Australian icebreaker carrying the rescued passengers, the Aurora Australis, will remain on standby in open water in the area “as a precautionary measure”, the rescue agency said.
The Aurora Australis had meant to sail towards an Antarctic base to complete a resupply before carrying the rescued passengers back to Australia......http://www.todayonline.com/world/chinese-icebreaker-stuck-after-helping-antarctic-rescue
3/1/14
Aurora Australis on standby as a precautionary measure...
ReplyDeleteXue Long notified AMSA at 1pm AEDT this afternoon it has concerns about their ability to move through heavy ice in the area.
The Aurora Australis has been placed on standby by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) Rescue Coordination Centre Austr
alia (RCC Australia) to remain in open water in the area as a
precautionary measure.
The Xue Long has advised RCC Australia that it will attempt to manoeuvre through the ice when tidal conditions are most suitable during the early hours of 4 January 2014.
There is no immediate danger to personnel on board the Xue Long
http://www.amsa.gov.au/media/documents/030114UpdateAntartica.pdf
3/1/14
Aurora Australis released from tasking in Antarctica....
DeleteXue Long’s attempt to manoeuvre through the ice early this morning was unsuccessful. Xue Long has confirmed to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) it is beset by ice.
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.
There is no immediate danger to personnel on board the Xue Long. The Xue Long has advised AMSA it has food supplies for several weeks.
The Aurora Australis was placed on standby by AMSA’s Rescue Coordination Centre Australia (RCC Australia) last night to remain in open water in the area as a precautionary measure.
The Masters of both Akademik Shokalskiy and Xue Long agree that further assistance from Aurora Australis is no longer required and they will be able to provide mutual support to each other.
The Aurora Australis has been released from search and rescue tasking by RCC Australia early this morning and continues to make its passage to the Casey base to complete a resupply. It will then continue to Hobart.
RCC Australia will maintain regular contact with the Xue Long and Akademik
Shokalskiy
.
Please keep an eye on AMSA’s Twitter feed @AMSA_News for updates.
http://www.amsa.gov.au/media/documents/040114_MediaRelease_AuroraAustralisreleasedfromtasking.pdf
4/1/14
Australian Icebreaker Heads for Home with Rescued Passengers ....
DeleteAn Australian icebreaker carrying the 52 passengers rescued from an icebound Russian research vessel is heading to port, after being told that its assistance was not needed by another stranded ship, the Chinese icebreaker Snow Dragon.
The Aurora Australis turned for home on Saturday, after the crew of the Snow Dragon said they were not in danger and had several week's worth of supplies.
A helicopter from the Chinese ship on Thursday airlifted to the Aurora Australis all the passengers from the Russian research ship, stuck in ice since December 24. But theSnow Dragon also became trapped...............http://www.voanews.com/content/australian-icebreaker-heads-for-home-with-rescued-passengers/1823296.html
4/1/14