Passengers prepare landing site for Chinese helicopter
Tourists and scientists aboard a Russian ship trapped for eight days in ice off Antarctica stomped down snow and ice on Tuesday, preparing a landing site for a helicopter from China’s icebreaker the Snow Dragon. The helicopter and the Snow Dragon were called into action after an Australian icebreaker failed to reach the Russian ship on Monday.
"It’s the 31st of December at 3 p.m.. We’ve just learned that the Aurora can’t reach us, so we’re preparing the helipad, by getting the team to stomp down on this snow and ice so that the Chinese helicopter from Snow Dragon can reach us, when the weather improves," said prof. Chris Turney from University of New South Wales.
Rescuers planned to airlift the 52 passengers from the stranded ship to the Snow Dragon. Most of the crew are expected to stay on the Russian ship. The Snow Dragon moved within sight of the stranded research vessel on Saturday, but was forced to turn back by 3-metre-thick ice. Passengers will later be transferred from the Snow Dragon to Australia’s Antarctic supply ship, the Aurora Australis.
