Ads by Google Ads by Google

Now rescue ship stuck in Antarctic ice

An Australian icebreaker carrying 52 passengers who were retrieved from an icebound ship in the Antarctic resumed its journey home today after it was halted for a second potential rescue operation.The icebreaker Aurora Australis had been slowly cracking through thick ice toward open water after a Chinese ship's helicopter on Thursday plucked the passengers from their stranded Russian research ship and carried them to an ice floe near the Aurora.But yesterday afternoon, the crew of a Chinese icebreaker that had provided the helicopter said they were worried about their own ship's ability to move through the ice.The Australian Maritime Safety Authority's Rescue Co-ordination Centre, which oversaw the rescue, told the Aurora yesterday afternoon to stay in the area in case help was needed.But AMSA said the Aurora had been allowed today to continue its journey despite the Chinese ship Snow Dragon, or Xue Long in Chinese, remaining stuck in ice.\The master of Xue Long has confirmed to AMSA that the ship is safe