Helicopter Rescue for Stranded Antarctic Ship on Hold for Better Weather

ABC News ^ | December 31, 2013 | Gio Benitez, Anthony Castellano, Mallory Thompson and Ben Krolowitz

[Zakeet]

An air rescue for the passengers aboard a research ship that has been trapped in Antarctic ice for a week will wait for a break in the weather to start airlifting people from the vessel, Australian maritime authorities say.

The 74 scientists, tourists and crew aboard the Akademik Shokalskiy, a Russian-crewed research vessel touring the Antarctic, have been trapped in ice since Christmas Eve. A helicopter on board a Chinese icebreaker, the Snow Dragon, will be used to collect the passengers once there is a break in the weather, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said in a Monday night conference call.

But the helicopter rescue must wait for a break in the weather before it can attempt a rescue, and conditions aren't expected to improve before Wednesday.

"At the moment we're just dealing with each day as it comes and looking after each other and supporting each other as best we can," expedition leader Chris Turney told ABC News overnight. "It's raining at the moment. It's heavy winds. It's poor visibility, so we're not going to be flying today, possibly not even tomorrow."

[gitmo]

So, have they told us how much global warming they’ve measured down there?

[Dartman]

"The ship's passengers are mostly made up of scientific researchers from Australia and New Zealand, in addition to some members of the public who signed up to accompany the scientists on a journey retracing the steps of the first exploration to Antarctica some 100 years ago. "

Oh, so none of them are there to prove how the polar ice caps are melting away? Or is that what the "scientists" are there for. They're lucky they didn't do this during the winter.

[gitmo]

I think I know what they need to do. They are making a mistake sending ice breakers in.

They need to send global warming breakers instead.

[RedMonqey]

My bet is he found a few Ginger’s to keep him warm.

Don't you know it! I suspect that's the real purpose for ther cruise

[CARDINALRULES]

I thought I had heard they had plenty of supplies to last several weeks. So unless there is a medical emergency I don’t see why they are in such a hurry to be rescued.

I guess they can’t stand to see all that global warming happening around them any longer. ;-`)

[Antihero101607]

Agreed.

[DannyTN]

Perfect!!!

[JoeProBono]

[Ozark Tom]

Apparently no one aboard was up to pulling weather data together from their satellite internet connection.

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/12/31/wuwt-and-weatherbell-help-kusi-tv-with-a-weather-forecasting-request-from-ice-trapped-ship-in-antarctica-akademik-shokalskiy/#comment-1520303

[RightGeek]

What the ecoweenies thought they were going to do on this joy ride:

What they got instead was:

[M Kehoe]

Good afternoon.

Ref. the first pic, I need more evidence to determine guilt or innocence. Thanks.

5.56mm

[NewHampshireDuo]

Thanks for the link. Interesting story.

[Covenantor]

What did arctic explorers do before there were helicopters? THEY WALKED. It's only 15 miles, you wussies!

Not just the hard men of yesteryear but also by a young man of just nineteen who achieved a record while these green pansies partied down.

from UK Telegraph

By Lucy Kinder

8:09PM GMT 24 Dec 2013

A teenager has become the youngest man to ski to the South Pole as well as setting a new speed record.

Parker Liautaud, a 19-year-old geology student, has become the youngest man to ski to the South Pole after completing the journey in 18 days.

Along with his expedition partner Doug Stoup they set a new world record for the fastest journey from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole

The pair skied for 349 miles (561km) from the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica on December 3 and arrived at 13.43 on Christmas Eve in 18 days, four hours and 43 minutes.

During the journey they pulled sleds weighing in excess of 80kg across the Transantarctic mountain range in temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius. The duo traveled for up to 12 hours a day, averaging 17 miles (28km) per day.

They were followed behind by a vehicle which filmed the entire journey using long-distance cameras, but offered them no support other than radio contact.

Read more at:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/antarctica/10537388/Teenager-becomes-youngest-man-to-ski-to-the-South-Pole.html

[Flick Lives]

That was supposed to be a five week cruise.

I thought it was a four hour cruise.   ;-)

[blueunicorn6]

Stop! Stop!!! The penguins! The helicopters will frighten the penguins! Frightened penguins can’t mate! THEY ARE KILLING THE PENGUINS!!! Ohhhhhh.....the poor penguins. Destroyed by snowball throwing enviroweenies. What have we wrought........

[JPG]

algore reports steady progress in his efforts to free the ship.

[xp38]

One could certainly parody the Gilligans Island theme for these warmists.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

According to another thread (sorry, no linkey) the ‘scientists’ got grants to cover most costs. There was extra space aboard the ship, so paying tourists were brought along to partially offset the costs. The tourists paid about 1/4 million out of a total 1.5 million cost for the expedition. That part of this fiasco actually makes sense.

[GOPJ]

1.5 million to take water samples? Some newspaper needs to take a long hard look at this...

[CAluvdubya]

Wait....... Was it put on hold for old ice or new ice?