Fifty two passengers on a Russian ship stuck in sea ice in eastern Antarctica since Christmas Eve have been rescued in a helicopter transfer to an Australian icebreaker.
Well done @alokjha, airlifted off an ice-trapped boat in the Antarctic this morning. Wins best "what I did during the holidays" story.
— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) January 2, 2014
Passengers were airlifted in relays from a makeshift landing pad on the ice beside the Russian ship and were landed on an ice floe near the Aurora Australis.
The passengers were picked up by a helicopter from the Chinese icebreaker Xue Long and transferred to the Australian Antarctic Division supply ship.
The Australian Maritme Safety Authority tweeted at 10.20pm (AEDT):
"Aurora Australis has advised AMSA that the 52 passengers from the Akademik Shokalskiy are now on board."
AAP reports the helicopter from the Chinese ship reached the ship around 5pm (AEDT). The group was then moved in five flights of up to 12 passengers. Each return journey to the Xue Long about 10 nautical miles away, took about 45 minutes.
