Posted on 12/28/2013 11:41:35 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
SYDNEY (AP) — A Chinese icebreaker that was en route to rescue a ship trapped in Antarctic ice was forced to turn back on Saturday after being unable to push its way through the heavy sea ice.
The Snow Dragon icebreaker came within 7 miles (11 kilometers) of the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy, which has been stuck since Christmas Eve, but had to retreat after the ice became too thick, said expedition spokesman Alvin Stone.
The Akademik Shokalskiy, which has been on a research expedition to Antarctica, got stuck Tuesday after a blizzard's whipping winds pushed the sea ice around the ship, freezing it in place. The ship wasn't in danger of sinking, and there are weeks' worth of supplies for the 74 scientists, tourists and crew on board, but the vessel cannot move.
Three icebreakers, including the Snow Dragon, have been trying to reach the ship since Wednesday. France's L'Astrolabe made it to the edge of the sea ice surrounding the ship on Saturday, but called off its mission after it, too, failed to break through, said Lisa Martin, spokeswoman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which is coordinating the rescue.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
Paging Capt Shackleton, please pick up the white courtesy telephone....
is there an organization we can contribute to that encourages, promotes some Global Warming?
Isn’t it high summer in the southern hemisphere right now? It should be 100 degrees F where that ship is stuck.
/s
My cousin Harry was the best icebreaker I’ve ever known, thanks to him I met a number of loose women at New York parties.
Everyone here realizes that once that ice melts we are all doomed, doomed I tell ya.
So, meanwhile, back at the ranch...
How's that icepack doing at the North Pole this Winter?
I agree with the jokes and the attitudes about global warming and the poetic justice of what is happening. But at the same time, this now becomes an extremely dangerous situation. If the ice is too thick for an ice breaker, that means its probably too thick for the hull of the trapped ship. As ice thickens it will press harder and harder on the hull. Even arctic research vessels are susceptible to crushing ice.
Algore, please pick up the white courtesy phone.
Oh, the huge manatee!!!!
Xue Long, me love you long time.
Someone clue me in, why don’t they hike 7 miles? Snow on the ice? No really really warm jacket?
You wouldn’t catch me anywhere near Antarctica without the ability to hoof it or survive extreme cold. (Of course there is a very good chance I’ll freeze to death someday on the Long Island expressway).
Why does China have an ice breaker?
If I were Tony Stark I would buzz their ship and drop a package of swimsuits and tanning oil on their deck.
All these tourists, masking as “researchers”, are going to get an education on the difference between climate variability and climate change.
Time for the helicopters, and send then a new, and larger, bill.
Exactly what I was thinking.
yep...according to the wiki page for the Xue Long , they do carry one...
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