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Antarctic rescue of Akademik Shokalskiy ship begins | Antarctic rescue of Akademik Shokalskiy ship begins |
(35 minutes later) | |
An operation has begun in Antarctica to rescue passengers from the ice-bound research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy. | An operation has begun in Antarctica to rescue passengers from the ice-bound research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy. |
A Chinese helicopter arrived close to the vessel, bringing in a crew to assess the landing situation. | A Chinese helicopter arrived close to the vessel, bringing in a crew to assess the landing situation. |
The aircraft left but then returned to begin ferrying the first passengers out to another vessel. | |
The Shokalskiy has been trapped since Christmas Eve. Its 22 crew are expected to remain on board once the 52 scientists and tourists have left. | The Shokalskiy has been trapped since Christmas Eve. Its 22 crew are expected to remain on board once the 52 scientists and tourists have left. |
The Shokalskiy was trapped 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 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 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. |
'Thanks everyone!' | |
"The Chinese helicopter has arrived at the Shokalskiy. It's 100% we're off! A huge thanks to all," expedition leader Chris Turney tweeted. | "The Chinese helicopter has arrived at the Shokalskiy. It's 100% we're off! A huge thanks to all," expedition leader Chris Turney tweeted. |
Mr Turney's post showed a video of a red helicopter touching down on a site that had been marked out by the Akademik's crew. | Mr Turney's post showed a video of a red helicopter touching down on a site that had been marked out by the Akademik's crew. |
Members of the helicopter crew checked the site and the aircraft took off again. | |
Three hours later, Mr Turney tweeted: "The first of the helicopters to take us home. Thanks everyone!" | |
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority's Rescue Co-ordination Centre (RCC), which is overseeing the operation, had earlier said it was unlikely the airlift would go ahead on Thursday as hoped because of the sea-ice conditions. | |
The rescue involves ferrying groups of passengers by helicopter to the Chinese icebreaker Xue Long. | |
The airlift could take about five hours, as the return journey to the Xue Long takes 45 minutes, and five flights could be needed. | |
The passengers will then be taken by a barge to the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis. | |
They are not expected back in Tasmania until mid-January. | |
Several attempts to break through to the ship by sea - by the Xue Long, Aurora Australis and French-flagged L'Astrolabe - failed because of the thickness of the ice. | |
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. |
One of the aims is to track how quickly the Antarctic's sea ice is disappearing. | |
The ship has plenty of stocks and has never been in danger. |