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Antarctic rescue of Akademik Shokalskiy ship completed | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Rescuers in Antarctica have safely transferred all 52 passengers stranded on the ice-bound research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy. | |
The Australian rescue operators said the scientists and tourists were now all aboard the Aurora Australis. | |
They were flown there in groups by a helicopter from a Chinese ship. | |
The Shokalskiy has been trapped since Christmas Eve. Its 22 crew are expected to remain on board to wait until the vessel becomes free. | |
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!' | 'Thanks everyone!' |
"We've made it to the Aurora australis safe & sound. A huge thanks to the Chinese & @AusAntarctic for all their hard work!," expedition leader Chris Turney tweeted. | |
The helicopter belongs to the Chinese icebreaker, Xue Long, and each flight has taken about 45 minutes, round-trip. | |
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority's (Amsa) Rescue Co-ordination Centre, which is overseeing the operation, had earlier said it was unlikely the rescue would go ahead on Thursday as hoped because of the sea-ice conditions. | The Australian Maritime Safety Authority's (Amsa) Rescue Co-ordination Centre, which is overseeing the operation, had earlier said it was unlikely the rescue would go ahead on Thursday as hoped because of the sea-ice conditions. |
But it later reported: "Aurora Australis has advised Amsa that the 52 passengers from the Akademik Shokalskiy are now on board." | |
The passengers were being taken to an ice floe next to the Aurora Australis and ferried on to the ice-breaker by a small boat. | |
The passengers are not expected back in Tasmania until mid-January. | The passengers are not expected back in Tasmania until mid-January. |
Mr Turney told Associated Press by satellite telephone: "I think everyone is relieved and excited to be going on to the Australian icebreaker and then home." | Mr Turney told Associated Press by satellite telephone: "I think everyone is relieved and excited to be going on to the Australian icebreaker and then home." |
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. | 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. | 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. | The ship has plenty of stocks and has never been in danger. |