Posted on 12/28/2013 5:32:24 PM PST by Brad from Tennessee
(CNN) -- A Chinese ship trying to reach a trapped expedition vessel in Antarctica has now become hampered by ice itself.
The Chinese icebreaker Xue Long, or Snow Dragon, was just six nautical miles away from the Russian-flagged vessel when it became obstructed by heavy ice. Even the icebreaker could not break through the floe, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said Saturday.
"We have been waiting for better weather and ice conditions since last night," Zhao Yanping, second captain of the Xue Long, told CNN. "Xue Long is not moving forward but we're not stuck."
The Chinese crew was hoping a French icebreaker that was also en route would be able to assist. But by midday Saturday, the Australian maritime authority called off the French ship's mission.
But AMSA said another icebreaker, the Australian Aurora Australis ship, is still en route and is expected to arrive late Sunday.
The Russian expedition ship is carrying scientists and passengers led by an Australian climate change professor. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Thanks. I doubt it has over 20 feet of draft looking at it. Finland built Russian registered. One thing is puzzling. Once you hit ice the smartest thing to do is get out fast and not head into it unless there is no choice. In this case turning around and loosing the trip profits would have been cheaper.
Captain screwed up? He almost made it, got within 2 miles of open water. If he’d left and hour early he would have made it. Damn the bad luck. Well it is going to be very expressive to get that ship free. Not a sure thing that the two smaller ice breakers can get to her. Most likely a real polar ice breaker will be needed. The ship appears to be listing slightly, she’s feeling the ice.
Yes I am reminded of the Canadian helo crew that died trying to save fool tourists attempting the north west passage last year. Well off to bed form me, later.
That’s just *begging* to be made into some kind of meme with snarky captions.
I propose...
GLOBAL WARMING
[picture]
IS NEITHER
Hey comrades. Try a couple small nukes on the ice. That’ll do it fur sur.
Also, your ships will glow at night so you’ll save money on running lights.
Not as long as there is money to be gotten from grants.
Photos of the Russian vessel show its bow up on the ice and listing a few degrees. I think it is going to have to be abandoned.
What most people don't know about the strength of ice is that in WWII, the Red Army made train bridges of ice to cross frozen rivers and lakes. They would pump water onto the existing ice and built up a layer to the required thickness and then lay track across it.
They could build an ice bridge faster than a conventional bridge and that in part greatly aided them in their winter offensives.
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