Thick ice forces rescue ship to turn back in Antarctic
The Snow Dragon icebreaker came within 7 miles of the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy, which has been stuck since Christmas Eve, but had to retreat after the ice became too thick, said expedition spokesman Alvin Stone.
The Akademik Shokalskiy, which has been on a research expedition to Antarctica, got stuck Tuesday after a blizzard's whipping winds pushed the sea ice around the ship, freezing it in place. The ship wasn't in danger of sinking, and there are weeks' worth of supplies for the 74 scientists, tourists and crew on board, but the vessel cannot move.
Three icebreakers, including the Snow Dragon, have been trying to reach the ship since Wednesday. France's L'Astrolabe made it to the edge of the sea ice surrounding the ship on Saturday, but called off its mission after it, too, failed to break through, said Lisa Martin, spokeswoman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which is coordinating the rescue.
The third icebreaker, Australia's Aurora Australis, has the best chance of cutting through the ice, and is expected to arrive on Sunday, Martin said. The Snow Dragon will remain in the area in case its help is needed.
The scientific team on board the research ship - which left New Zealand on Nov. 28 - had been recreating Australian explorer Douglas Mawson's century-old voyage to Antarctica when it became trapped. They plan to continue their expedition after they are freed, expedition leader Chris Turney said.
Passengers and crew initially had to contend with blizzard conditions, including winds up to 40 miles per hour, but the weather has calmed considerably since then, Turney said.
Despite the interruption to the expedition, the scientists have continued their research while stuck, counting birds in the area and drilling through the ice surrounding the ship to photograph sea life. Those on board also managed to celebrate the holiday with a traditional Christmas feast and a "Secret Santa" gift exchange, which helped keep everyone's spirits high, Turney said.
"Hey, Mum and Dad! I hope you're enjoying the summer as much as I am. As you have probably heard we are currently beset in a bit of ice, but not to worry, everything's going well," Patrick Bevan said in an upbeat video message to his family.
Turney's regular postings on social media have kept people all over the world updated on the ice-bound ship.
"It's our fourth day
trapped on the Shokalsky, and we thought it was important to let family and
friends know that everyone is OK," he said in a message Friday.