Posted on 01/04/2014 11:15:13 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) A U.S. Coast Guard heavy icebreaker left Australia for Antarctica on Sunday to rescue more than 120 crew members aboard two icebreakers trapped in pack ice near the frozen continent's eastern edge, officials said.
The 122-meter (399-foot) cutter, the Polar Star, is responding to a Jan. 3 request from Australia, Russia and China to assist the Russian and Chinese ships because "there is sufficient concern that the vessels may not be able to free themselves from the ice," the Coast Guard said in a statement.
The Russian research ship Akademik Shokalskiy has been trapped in ice-clogged Commonwealth Bay since Christmas Eve, while the Chinese ship which came to its rescue, Xue Long or Snow Dragon in Chinese, reported on Friday it too had become stuck nearby.
[snip]
Andrew Peacock, an Australian doctor and photographer who was rescued from the Russian ship, said he and his fellow passengers "have been and continue to be thankful for all the help we have been given and ... aware of the cost and inconvenience to others."
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
According to wikipedia (and the citation isn’t provided of course) the Russian Nuclear Ice breakers can only operate in the arctic due to their reactor design, which require COLD water. Not sure how much faith I place in wikipedia especially with no backup.
Pray for global warming —
The U.S. hasn’t built an icebreaker since the Carter years.
This one was retrofitted, but still.
That was hilarious and quite appropro —
Are they sending those tractors to the Antarctic??
and the media doesn't report it but it is SUMMER in the Antarctic!
LoL!
I didn’t see your post — and thought of the same video.
Too funny — I love the “Green Acres” in French musical accompaniment.
Lot of “Gonna’ need a bigger boat” moments here.
He assumes others are responsible for the expense. Clever doctor.
Me neither. Wow.
lol I’m really glad that looks foreign.
It’s important to note that the clock is ticking. January is the second warmest month in the Antarctic, February is much colder, and March brings with it truly hideous conditions. That is, *if* winter arrives on schedule, not early.
By March, surface ships normally have to desert the Polar sea, as it is close to non-navigable.
As powerful as the Polar Star is, its captain could force it to turn back if things got too bad, too fast.
I wanted to stop watching, but I couldn’t.
Who is paying for all this?
I hope all the rescue ships send a bill to the lefties on board.
It’s facetious question.
Amazing set of photos. It perfectly illustrates liberalism in government.
Lights Out? More About Light Bulbs and Toilets
Global Warming on Free Republic
Interestingly, I don't think the Russians sent an icebreaker. I think the French did, but it turned back very early in the rescue effort.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8h-pArWZyY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
This is a pretty good video of an icebreaker in action.
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