Shell plating of Russian ship stuck in Antarctic ice being repaired
VLADIVOSTOK. Dec 26 (Interfax) - The Academician Shokalsky Russian research vessel stuck in the Antarctic ice may break free if the wind changes.
"The crew is waiting for the wind to change; the easterly wind, which is blowing now, prevents the ice from moving. There may be a clearing in the ice if the wind turns westerly and the ship will break free from the ice trap on its own," a representative of the Far Eastern Hydrometeorological Research Institute (DVNIGMI), the owner of the ship, told Interfax on Thursday.
Weathermen said the winds were unlikely to change in the next few hours. An icebreaker is on its way to rescue the Academician Shokalsky.
The ice shield is 50 meters thick in that area, the source said.
Meanwhile, the crew is finalizing repairs of the ship's shell plating.
The Academician Shokalsky has 74 people aboard. The Australian Aurora Expeditions, which organizes Antarctic cruises, is the ship's operator.
The Australian maritime rescue authorities have sent several icebreakers - the Xue Long (China), the L'Astrolab (France) and the Aurora Australius (Australia) - to help the trapped ship.
The Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet) reported that the ship was trapped in the ice on December 24.
"The ship's shell plating was ruptured on the starboard, 1.8 meters above the waterline. There is no danger to the crew or passengers," Roshydromet said.
The Academician Shokalsky is performing a survey for the Australian Antarctic expedition team in the D'Urville Sea.
The crew and the expedition members are in good health; their lives and health are not in danger.
