Russian ship icebound in Antarctica sees better weather
VLADIVOSTOK. Dec 31 (Interfax) - The weather has improved a bit in the Antarctic area where Russia's research ship Academician Shokalsky has been trapped in the ice.
Expedition member Prof. Chris Turney wrote on Twitter they had good news: visibility was much better and winds were moderate.
High winds and limited visibility forced the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australius headed for the icebound Russian ship to back up on Monday.
The Academician Shokalsky performing a survey for the Australian Antarctic expedition team in the D'Urville Sea was trapped in heavy ice on December 24. There are 74 people aboard, including 22 Russian crewmembers.
The Australian maritime rescue authorities sent the Xue Long (China) and the Aurora Australius (Australia) icebreakers to help the trapped ship on the same day.
Yet none of the icebreakers has managed to approach the Academician Shokalsky as of yet.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday that 52 passengers and four crewmembers would be evacuated by helicopter to the Xue Long weather permitting.