Antarctic scientists flown off ice-trapped vessel

The academics were on board 바카라사이트 Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy as part of 바카라사이트 Australasian Antarctic Expedition, which was following in 바카라사이트 footsteps of explorer Douglas Mawson, who undertook 바카라사이트 first complete study of 바카라사이트 region 100 years ago.

But on Christmas Eve, 바카라사이트 vessel became surrounded in a thick pack of ice and could not move. The ship lies 1,500 nautical miles south of Hobart in Tasmania.

Initial attempts to free 바카라사이트 vessel using o바카라사이트r icebreaking ships failed. The latest attempt by Australian ship, Aurora Australis, halted on 31 December after 바카라사이트 rescue ship itself ran 바카라사이트 risk of getting stuck in 바카라사이트 ice.

The back-up plan involved airlifting 바카라사이트 passengers to 바카라사이트 Aurora Australis using a helicopter on board a Chinese icebreaking ship that had previously failed to reach 바카라사이트 scientists.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), coordinating 바카라사이트 rescue, had initially said 바카라사이트 mission was unlikely to go ahead today. But later it tweeted that all 52 passengers were on board 바카라사이트 Aurora Australis, apparently having been airlifted directly from 바카라사이트 Shokalskiy. The 22-strong crew of 바카라사이트 Shokalskiy will meanwhile remain on board 바카라사이트 stricken vessel.

Chris Turney, leader of 바카라사이트 expedition and professor of climate change at 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales, said in a blog on 바카라사이트 expedition website that some of 바카라사이트 ice surrounding 바카라사이트 vessel was likely to be several years old, making it ¡°considerably more difficult¡± to break through using an icebreaker compared with ice formed in a single year.

holly.else@tsleducation.com