Snow Dragon’s helicopter lifts 52 to safety
Print Edition
A CHINESE helicopter rescued all 52 passengers from a research ship that had been trapped in the Antarctic ice since Christmas Eve after weather conditions cleared enough for the operation yesterday.
The helicopter from the Snow Dragon icebreaker carried scientists and tourists from the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy in groups of 12 to an Australian icebreaker, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s rescue coordination center said.
The Aurora Australis will take the passengers to the Australian state of Tasmania, a journey expected to last two weeks.
“I think everyone is relieved and excited to be going on to the Australian icebreaker and then home,” expedition leader Chris Turney said.
All 22 crew members are staying with the icebound vessel, which is not in danger of sinking and has weeks’ worth of supplies on board. They will wait until the ice that surrounds the ship breaks up.
The eagerly anticipated rescue came after days of failed attempts to reach the vessel. Blinding snow, strong winds, fog and thick sea ice forced rescuers to turn back time and again.
Three icebreakers were dispatched to try to crack their way through the ice surrounding the ship, but all failed. The Aurora came within 20 kilometers of the ship on Monday, but fierce winds and snow forced it to retreat to open water.
Yesterday, it appeared the weather had thwarted yet another rescue attempt. The Chinese helicopter was originally going to airlift the passengers to the icebreaker on which it is based, with a barge then ferrying the passengers to the Aurora.
But sea ice prevented the barge from reaching the Snow Dragon, and the maritime authority said the operation would have to be delayed. However, a last-minute change of plans allowed the rescue to go ahead. The passengers were instead flown to an ice floe next to the Aurora and then taken by a small boat to the Australian ship.
All passengers were safely on board the Aurora by 10.15pm.
Turney expressed his relief that the wait was finally over.
“We’ve made it to the Aurora Australis safe and sound. A huge thanks to the Chinese and the Australian Antarctic Division for all their hard work,” he tweeted.
The Akademik Shokalskiy, which left New Zealand on November 28, got stuck after a blizzard pushed the sea ice around the ship, freezing it in place about 2,700 kilometers south of Hobart, Tasmania. The scientific team on board had been recreating Australian explorer Douglas Mawson’s 1911 to 1913 voyage to Antarctica.
Turney had hoped to continue the trip if an icebreaker managed to free the ship. Despite his disappointment over the expedition being cut short, he said his spirits remained high.
“I’m a bit sad it’s ended this way,” he said. “But we got lots and lots of great science done.”
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