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The
helicopter on board the Chinese icebreaker "Xuelong" is ready to
airlift Russian scientists and crew from the ship MV Akademik
Shokalskiy, trapped in ice off Antarctica.The 22 crew and 52 scientists and tourists on board the ship welcomed the new year as they awaited rescue.
Singing about their experiences, the crew have been clearing the surface for the Chinese helicopter to land. The icebreaker Xuelong left Shanghai in November on China’s 30th scientific expedition to Antarctica.
It set up an emergency relief group after the Russian ship’s captain sent a formal request on Tuesday for the helicopter rescue. The expedition will airlift trapped passengers when the weather permits. The Russians will be airlifted to the Xuelong in groups of 12.
The powerful Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis, which is approaching slowly due to poor weather, will then use its barge to complete the evacuation.
http://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20140102/100130.shtml
2/1/14
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Related:
VIDEO. L'Akademik Shokalskiy toujours prisonnier des glaces. -Antarctic mission now pinning hopes on Australian icebreaker for rescue.
Icebound Antarctic passengers face air rescue if ship cannot reach them soon...
Icebound Russian Ship's Passengers to Be Rescued by Helicopter...
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Chinese icebreaker fails to free Russian research ship from ice captivity
Einsatz in der Antarktis: Eisbrecher "Schneedrache" scheitert mit Rettungsversuch....
Anche i soccorsi bloccati dal ghiaccio Antartide, la nave russa resta in trappola....
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Passenger Rescue at Stranded Russian Ship to Start Soon...
ReplyDeleteMaritime authorities in Australia said Thursday that operations to rescue passengers on a Russian research ship trapped by ice in the Antarctic Seawill commence soon, RIA Novosti reports.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said in a statement that weather conditions in the area in which the Akademik Shokalskiy is stranded have improved, enabling rescue operations by helicopter. The rescue helicopter will be dispatched from the Chinese-flagged vessel Xue Long, situated around 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) from the Akademik Shokalskiy, AMSA said. While all 52 passengers are to be evacuated, the 22 crew members will remain onboard. The rescue trips by helicopter are expected to take a minimum of five hours, depending on weather conditions. The team of scientists and tourists on the Akademik Shokalskiy had been retracing a famous Australian Antarctic Expedition from 101 years ago. The fare for tourists was $15,000 apiece, according to the Expeditions Online tour agency website.
Read more: http://indian.ruvr.ru/news/2014_01_02/Passenger-Rescue-at-Stranded-Russian-Ship-to-Start-Soon-5966/
2/1/13