Trapped Russian ship passengers set to ring in New Year in Antarctic ice
Fog and heavy snow mean passengers on a Russian ship stranded in Antarctica for over a week are likely to ring in the New Year trapped in the ice, as a rescue helicopter on a nearby Chinese ship waits for the weather to clear.
The helicopter on board the Snow Dragon will be used after an Australian icebreaker on Monday failed to reach the trapped Akademik Shokalskiy, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said on Tuesday.
But continuing blizzard conditions mean the rescue attempt will have wait.
"Weather conditions are unlikely to start improving until tomorrow and decisions related to carrying out the rescue may be made at short notice," it said.
The Russian ship left New Zealand on November 28 on a private expedition to commemorate the 100th anniversary of an Antarctic journey led by famed Australian explorer Douglas Mawson.
It became trapped on December 24 100 nautical miles east of French Antarctic station Dumont D'Urville and about 1,500 nautical miles south of Australia's southern island state of Tasmania.
The Akademik Shokalskiy's 74 passengers include scientists and tourists, many of them Australian, and 22 Russian crew. Expedition leader Chris Turney said the last week had been "sobering" but morale was good.
"We are all keeping busy, with twice daily briefings outlining all the information we have to hand, alongside classes through the day (knot tying, languages, yoga, photography and many others) while the science programme has continued as best we can," he said on a blog for the expedition (http://www.spiritofmawson.com/)
Rescuers plan to move all of the 52 passengers from the ship to the Snow Dragon, with most crew members expected to stay on the Russian ship, AMSA said.
The Chinese ship got within sight of the Akademik Shokalskiy on Saturday, but turned back after failing to break the ice, which was more than 3 metres (10 feet) deep in places.
Less time to read?
Try Quickreads
-
‘Won’t simply put up with…': Russia’s warning amid NATO’s Nordic expansion
According to an AFP report, Swedish public support for NATO membership has risen to nearly 50 per cent in the aftermath of the Ukraine war. The situation is the same in Finland, with the AFP report revealing that the number of Finns who want to join NATO has climbed to more than three-quarters - almost triple the level before the Ukraine war.
-
China's Uyghur county has highest prison rate in the world
Nearly one in 25 people in a county in the Uyghur heartland of China has been sentenced to prison on terrorism-related charges, in what is the highest known imprisonment rate in the world, an Associated Press review of leaked data shows. A list obtained and partially verified by the AP cites the names of more than 10,000 Uyghurs sent to prison in just Konasheher county alone, one of dozens in southern Xinjiang.
-
China: Shanghai likely to reopen on June 1 with Covid-19 spread curbed
Shanghai will reopen gradually and resume “normal life” from June 1 after stamping out its Covid-19 infections from 15 of its 16 districts, a city official said on Monday, releasing a staggered timetable for lifting the current lockdown over the next two weeks. “Shanghai has planned its epidemic control work for the coming period, dividing it into three stages,” deputy mayor Zong Ming said. “Low social movement” will mark the initial period of opening up.
-
How intentional flooding saved Ukrainian village from Russian occupation
Ukrainian forces opened a dam early in the war in Demydiv, causing the Irpin River to flood the village and thousands of acres around. The move has since been credited with stopping Russian soldiers and tanks from breaking through Ukraine's lines.
-
Sri Lanka imposes nine-hour nationwide curfew amid protests: Report
The Sri Lankan government on Monday imposed a nine-hour curfew amid continued unrest in the island nation. According to reports from local media, the curfew will be imposed from 8pm Monday and remain in force till 5am Tuesday. The announcement came a day after Sri Lanka said more than 200 people were arrested on various charges, including violation of curfew, attacking the public and causing damage to public and private properties.
