Rescue of icebound Antarctic ship faces setback [ice too thick for icebreaker]

Houston Chronicle ^ | December 28, 2013 | KRISTEN GELINEAU

[arthurus]

I don’t think the US has a functioning icebreaker any more and none being built. Since Russia said that Russia owns the Arctic Washington said oh well guess we don’t need any icebreakers.

[The Cajun]

It’s past its half life.

Could be, LOL.
The last time I saw pictures of it, looked like it was in bad need of a paint job.
If the reactor is in that bad of shape.................

[cva66snipe]

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.

True and there's more to consider. For the ships power plant to operate to provide lights, heat, and communication, you must be able to both have water intake and discharge ports functional. If either one fails that's bad news from everything including cooling the generator & flushing the comodes.

The ship could very well end up as a write off. Focus while still in the summer months unless there is a thaw coming short term in a week or two that is certain should be on evacuation of those onboard.

[Disambiguator]

It is summer down there, but I doubt it should be 100 there.

I did include the "/s" tag.

:^)

[GeronL]

I was under the impression that the Coast Guard had two.

[concentric circles]

The Fram was amazing. The photos of the Endurance chronicle a journey up, down, and back and forth on the ice. Apparently the first severe compression broke the rudder which,on the Fram, was retractable.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

They should’ve docked at Zihuataneho...

[SaraJohnson]

Yes, they put themselves in serious danger. I suggest they pray for global warming so they can survive. : ) : (

[BlackVeil]

I agree - I cannot resist getting a few jokes out of this story - but the savage south pole weather is no joke. The news reports spin that there is nothing to worry about - but as you say, there is.

The height of the southern summer is over, and from now on, every day is shorter. That ice situation may be setting in for a full year.

[mountn man]

The ship is about 100 miles E of Dumont D’Urville station. Current temps there are -7F.

Doesn't look good for improving ice conditions.

[Maurice Tift]

   If they get hungry enough, there's at least some food around.

  What if they have to shoot a polar bear and make polar bear soup just to survive? They would survive, but their "Save the Polar Bears" propaganda campaign would be over!! What a horrible predicament!

[mountn man]

That's a Loooooooooooooooooooooooong walk to find any polar bears.
Unless of course an ice breaker should come and drop 1 or 2 off.
For hunting purposes.
Chances are they don't have any guns on board, so they'll have to air drop them in.

Best to stick with penguin stew.

[madison10]

Stuck in their own stupid.

They’re sitting there trapped in mountains of ice, in Antarctica no less, but they are still screaming about the polar ice caps melting and global warming.

Denial is NOT a river in Egypt it’s a ship trapped in Antarctica.