Russian ship freed from Antarctic ice
- 13 years ago
A South Korean ice breaker helps rescue the smaller Russian fishing vessel Sparta.
Sparta had been trapped in Antarctica for nearly two weeks after ice ripped a hole in its hull and it started taking on water.
The 48-metre fishing vessel with a crew of 32 had been anchored some 3,700 kilometres southeast of New Zealand.
The New Zealand air force made two supply drops so the crew could make temporary repairs whilst waiting for help to arrive.
This handout video provided by the South Korean authorities shows members of the ice breaker working to repair damage on the ship.
The Sparta will be escorted from the ice shelf before meeting its sister ship in open water.
According to New Zealand's rescue co-ordination centre, a small amount of light hydraulic oil appears to have leaked from the damaged hull, but there are no signs of damage or heavy fuel oil escaping.
Nick Rowlands, Reuters.
Sparta had been trapped in Antarctica for nearly two weeks after ice ripped a hole in its hull and it started taking on water.
The 48-metre fishing vessel with a crew of 32 had been anchored some 3,700 kilometres southeast of New Zealand.
The New Zealand air force made two supply drops so the crew could make temporary repairs whilst waiting for help to arrive.
This handout video provided by the South Korean authorities shows members of the ice breaker working to repair damage on the ship.
The Sparta will be escorted from the ice shelf before meeting its sister ship in open water.
According to New Zealand's rescue co-ordination centre, a small amount of light hydraulic oil appears to have leaked from the damaged hull, but there are no signs of damage or heavy fuel oil escaping.
Nick Rowlands, Reuters.