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| Antarctic ship: Third rescue bid halted by bad weather | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A third attempt to rescue a ship stranded in East Antarctica since Tuesday has failed because of fierce winds and poor visibility. | |
| An Australian icebreaker trying to reach the Russian scientific mission ship was forced to turn back. | An Australian icebreaker trying to reach the Russian scientific mission ship was forced to turn back. |
| Earlier attempts by Chinese and French icebreakers to reach the Russian ship Academician Shokalskiy were also foiled by the thick ice. | Earlier attempts by Chinese and French icebreakers to reach the Russian ship Academician Shokalskiy were also foiled by the thick ice. |
| The Shokalskiy is stocked with food and is in no danger, its team says. | The Shokalskiy is stocked with food and is in no danger, its team says. |
| Seventy-four scientists, tourists and crew are on the ship. | Seventy-four scientists, tourists and crew are on the ship. |
| 'Snow showers' | 'Snow showers' |
| The vessel is being used by the Australasian Antarctic Expedition to follow the route explorer Douglas Mawson travelled a century ago. | The vessel is being used by the Australasian Antarctic Expedition to follow the route explorer Douglas Mawson travelled a century ago. |
| The BBC's Andrew Luck-Baker, on the Shokalskiy, said scientists on board thought the ice was much thicker than usual for this time of year. | The BBC's Andrew Luck-Baker, on the Shokalskiy, said scientists on board thought the ice was much thicker than usual for this time of year. |
| The Aurora Australis icebreaker had been forced to turn back to clear water and was repositioning to try to find another route towards the Shokalskiy, he said. | The Aurora Australis icebreaker had been forced to turn back to clear water and was repositioning to try to find another route towards the Shokalskiy, he said. |
| "[The icebreaker] was slowly, slowly, trying to carve a path to us," he said. "It stopped for some time, and [now] has actually gone back the way it came. And it's now in clear water." | "[The icebreaker] was slowly, slowly, trying to carve a path to us," he said. "It stopped for some time, and [now] has actually gone back the way it came. And it's now in clear water." |
| In a statement, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said: "The area where the MV Akademik Shokalskiy is beset by ice is currently experiencing winds of up to 30 knots and snow showers." | In a statement, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said: "The area where the MV Akademik Shokalskiy is beset by ice is currently experiencing winds of up to 30 knots and snow showers." |
| "These weather conditions have resulted in poor visibility and made it difficult and unsafe for the Aurora Australis to continue today's attempt to assist the MV Akademik Shokalskiy." | "These weather conditions have resulted in poor visibility and made it difficult and unsafe for the Aurora Australis to continue today's attempt to assist the MV Akademik Shokalskiy." |
| Earlier, it was thought that passengers could be winched to safety by a helicopter on board the Chinese icebreaker, which had to abort its rescue mission on Saturday. | Earlier, it was thought that passengers could be winched to safety by a helicopter on board the Chinese icebreaker, which had to abort its rescue mission on Saturday. |
| However, AMSA spokeswoman Lisa Martin told Reuters news agency: "We can't fly a helicopter in these conditions either. There is essentially nothing we can do at this point of time." | However, AMSA spokeswoman Lisa Martin told Reuters news agency: "We can't fly a helicopter in these conditions either. There is essentially nothing we can do at this point of time." |
| The Aurora Australis would have to wait for the weather to improve before making a second rescue attempt, she added. | The Aurora Australis would have to wait for the weather to improve before making a second rescue attempt, she added. |
| The Chinese vessel, the Snow Dragon, came within seven nautical miles (11 km) of the Russian ship before stalling and being forced to return to the open sea. | The Chinese vessel, the Snow Dragon, came within seven nautical miles (11 km) of the Russian ship before stalling and being forced to return to the open sea. |
| Despite being trapped, the scientists have continued their experiments, measuring temperature and salinity through cracks in the surrounding ice. | Despite being trapped, the scientists have continued their experiments, measuring temperature and salinity through cracks in the surrounding ice. |
| The Shokalskiy was trapped on Christmas Day by thick sheets of ice, driven by strong winds, about 1,500 nautical miles south of Hobart - the capital of the Australian state of Tasmania. | The Shokalskiy was trapped on Christmas Day by thick sheets of ice, driven by strong winds, about 1,500 nautical miles south of Hobart - the capital of the Australian state of Tasmania. |