97 Chinese saved from ship fire off Antarctica
Source: Agencies |
April 19, 2013, Friday
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Print Edition
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A Chinese fishing ship has caught fire just off the coast of Antarctica and 97 crew members have been rescued by a nearby Norwegian vessel as Chile's military mobilized to prevent any environmental damage.
The crew members abandoned the burning Kai Xin on Wednesday and were taken aboard the Juvel about 55 kilometers from Chile's Bernardo O'Higgins research base near the northern tip of the Antarctic peninsula, Chilean officials said.
The ship was not immediately at risk of sinking, and nearby vessels could tow it away from the Antarctic coast if necessary, officials said.
Juan Marcelo Villegas, maritime governor for Chile's portion of Antarctica, said that Chile's navy could send a tugboat from Punta Arenas, near the southern tip of South America, to tow the ship to harbor as long as it remained seaworthy.
Chile's air force was preparing a second flight yesterday to check on the vessel's condition.
The Kai Xin left port in Uruguay and Chilean officials did not know how much fuel it was carrying, Villegas said.
"At the moment the weather conditions are pretty favorable. There's little wind and the ocean conditions are good, so, for the moment, there's no imminent risk of sinking," Villegas said.
China's Panamanian-flagged Skyfrost ship was approaching the area and would be able to take on the rescued sailors, he said.
Chile's Antarctic base could not handle the rescued crew, Villegas said, adding that the chief of China's Antarctic base had been notified.
The environmental group Greenpeace said the crippled Chinese ship is part of an international fleet of about 50 vessels authorized by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources to fish off the Antarctic coast.
"The Chinese fishing ship that's on fire has permission to fish for krill," Greenpeace said.
The crew members abandoned the burning Kai Xin on Wednesday and were taken aboard the Juvel about 55 kilometers from Chile's Bernardo O'Higgins research base near the northern tip of the Antarctic peninsula, Chilean officials said.
The ship was not immediately at risk of sinking, and nearby vessels could tow it away from the Antarctic coast if necessary, officials said.
Juan Marcelo Villegas, maritime governor for Chile's portion of Antarctica, said that Chile's navy could send a tugboat from Punta Arenas, near the southern tip of South America, to tow the ship to harbor as long as it remained seaworthy.
Chile's air force was preparing a second flight yesterday to check on the vessel's condition.
The Kai Xin left port in Uruguay and Chilean officials did not know how much fuel it was carrying, Villegas said.
"At the moment the weather conditions are pretty favorable. There's little wind and the ocean conditions are good, so, for the moment, there's no imminent risk of sinking," Villegas said.
China's Panamanian-flagged Skyfrost ship was approaching the area and would be able to take on the rescued sailors, he said.
Chile's Antarctic base could not handle the rescued crew, Villegas said, adding that the chief of China's Antarctic base had been notified.
The environmental group Greenpeace said the crippled Chinese ship is part of an international fleet of about 50 vessels authorized by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources to fish off the Antarctic coast.
"The Chinese fishing ship that's on fire has permission to fish for krill," Greenpeace said.
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