All 52 passengers rescued from stranded Russian ship in Antarctica

Helicopter from Chinese icebreaker Snow Dragon took all the passengers from the ice-bound Akademik Shokalskiy and transfered them to an Australian Antarctic supply ship, the Aurora Australis.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Thursday, January 2, 2014, 7:40 AM

ANDREW PEACOCK/AFP/Getty Images

A helicopter from the nearby Chinese icebreaker Xue Long hovers above passengers from the stranded Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy as the first helicopter rescue takes place after over a week of being trapped in the ice off Antarctica.

CANBERRA, Australia — A helicopter rescued all 52 passengers from a research ship that has been trapped in Antarctic ice since Christmas Eve after weather conditions finally cleared enough for the operation Thursday.

A helicopter carried the scientists and tourists from the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalski in groups of 12 to a Australian icebreaker, said the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s Rescue Coordination Centre, which oversaw the rescue. The Aurora Australis will now take the passengers to the Australian island state of Tasmania, a journey expected to last two weeks.

ANDREW PEACOCK/AFP/Getty Images

Helicopter from the nearby Chinese icebreaker Xue Long picking up the first batch of passengers from the stranded Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy.

RELATED: RESCUE OF RUSSIAN SHIP STUCK IN ICE OFF ANTARCTICA SUFFERS SETBACK

“I think everyone is relieved and excited to be going on to the Australian icebreaker and then home,” expedition leader Chris Turney told The Associated Press by satellite phone from the Antarctic.

ANDREW PEACOCK/AFP/Getty Images

This image taken by expedition doctor Andrew Peacock of www.footloosefotography.com on January 2, 2014 shows a pair of Adelie penguins (c.) inspecting the scene as the first load of passengers from the stranded Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy wait for helicopter.

All 22 crew members stayed with their icebound vessel, which is not in danger of sinking and has weeks’ worth of supplies on board. They will wait until the ice that has paralyzed the ship breaks up.

RELATED: ANTARCTICA RESEARCHERS STUCK AFTER WIND BLOWS ICE INTO SHIP'S PATH

ANDREW PEACOCK/AFP/Getty Images

Passengers on board the stranded Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy watch as helicopter picks up first batches of stranded passengers.

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 and crack their way through the ice surrounding the ship, but all failed. The Aurora came within 20 kilometers (12 miles) of the ship Monday, but fierce winds and snow forced it to retreat to open water.

REUTERS TV/Reuters

Rescue workers make their way from a helicopter to the Russian ship.

RELATED: MEDIC TEAM HEADED TO ANTARCTICA TO RESCUE AMERICAN 

On Thursday, it appeared the weather had thwarted yet another rescue attempt. The helicopter was originally going to airlift the passengers to a Chinese icebreaker, the Snow Dragon, with a barge then ferrying them 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.

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT/AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC DIVISION/EPA

The rescued passengers were picked up by a Chinese helicopter and flown to the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis.

A last-minute change in 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, Turney said.

The Akademik Shokalskiy, which left New Zealand on Nov. 28, got stuck after a blizzard pushed the sea ice around the ship, freezing it in place about 2,700 kilometers (1,700 miles) 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.”

MORE:

The Telegraph

Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy trapped in Antarctica

A helicopter has rescued all 52 passengers from a research ship that has been trapped in Antarctic ice since Christmas Eve after weather conditions finally cleared enough for the operation.
Picture: Andrew Peacock/AFP

The Chinese helicopter carried the scientists and tourists from the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy in groups of 12 to an Australian icebreaker, said the Australian Maritime Safety Authority's Rescue Coordination Centre, which oversaw the rescue.
Picture: Andrew Peacock/AFP

The Aurora Australis will now take the passengers to the Australian island state of Tasmania, a journey expected to last two weeks.

All 22 crew members stayed with the icebound vessel, which is not in danger of sinking and has a 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 and crack their way through the ice surrounding the ship, but all failed. The Aurora came within 20 kilometers (12 miles) of the ship on Monday, but fierce winds and snow forced it to retreat to open water.Picture: AP PhotoOn Thursday, it appeared the weather had thwarted yet another rescue attempt.Picture: Andrew Peacock/AFP/Getty Images

The helicopter was originally going to airlift the passengers to the Chinese icebreaker on which the copter is based, with a barge then ferrying the passengers to the Aurora. But sea ice prevented the barge from reaching the Snow Dragon icebreaker, and the maritime authority said the operation would have to be delayed.

A last-minute change in 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, Turney said. The Akademik Shokalskiy, which left New Zealand on Nov. 28, got stuck after a blizzard pushed the sea ice around the ship, freezing it in place about 2,700 kilometers (1,700 miles) south of Hobart, Tasmania.

The scientific team on board had been recreating Australian explorer Douglas Mawson's 1911 to 1913 voyage to Antarctica.
Picture: Andrew Peacock / www.footloosefotography.comAndrew Peacock/AFP/Getty Images

Chris 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."

The MV Akademik Shokalskiy is pictured stranded in ice in Antarctica

 

Chris Fogwill (bottom) and Chris Turney, co-leaders of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, are pictured below deck in the front hold of the stranded Akademik Shokalskiy  Picture: REUTERS/Andrew Peacock 

Scientists from the University of NSW, Australia, Ziggy Marzinellia and Graeme Clark prepare a suitable surface for a helicopter landing next to the Akademik Shokalskiy

An inquisitive Adelie Penguin next to the stranded ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy

The MV Akademik Shokalskiy lies trapped in the ice off Antarctica