Antarctic news early 30 december

Nature had 2 – 0 in ‘game’ with so called CO2 experts…. now it’s close to 3 – 0….. Snow weather delay rescue…..
Some old song lines comes to mind…. …when will they ever learn…
Reality exceeds poems, Norah4you 28 december 2013

An Antarctic blizzard has halted an Australian icebreaker’s bid to reach a Russian ship trapped for a week with 74 people onboard, rescuers said on Monday.

The Aurora Australis had to return to open waters about 18 nautical miles from the stranded Akademik Shokalskiy because of poor visibility, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which is co-ordinating the rescue, told Reuters
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A Chinese icebreaker, the Snow Dragon, has been halted by thick ice within sight of the ship. The Snow Dragon had a helicopter on board that could be used to rescue passengers if the Aurora Australis failed to get through, AMSA said earlier, but the aircraft was grounded by the snow.

”We can’t fly a helicopter in these conditions either. There is essentially nothing we can do at this point of time,” Martin said.

The Aurora Australis would have to wait for the weather to improve before a second rescue attempt, she added.Rescue of Akademik Shokalskiy stopped by Antarctic blizzard, cbc news Dec 30, 2013 12:35 AM ET

But so far poor weather is hampering rescue efforts. ”The area is currently experiencing snow showers, resulting in poor visibility,” AMSA spokeswoman Lisa Martin said on Monday morning. ”The Aurora Australis is traveling slowly due to the conditions to ensure the safety of all on board.”

The Aurora Australis is the last ship in the area that will be able to help. For the past days, two icebreakers, Chinese icebreaker Snow Dragon and French icebreaker Astrolabe, have already given up efforts to push through the thick and dangerous ice floes to free the trapped ship.

The authorities have confirmed that they will ferry the trapped passengers to safety by helicopter if it can’t battle through the ice.Poor weather hampers Australian icebreaker’s rescue effort in Antarctic; shanghaidaily.com Dec 30,2013

Snöoväder försvårar evakuering i Antarktis, Expressen 30 december 2013
Snö sinkar räddning i Antarktis, Aftonbladet 30 december 2013
Snö sinkar räddning i Antarktis, SvD 30 december 2013

Quots and links from 29 december 2013:
— Seventy-four passengers trapped aboard expedition vessel in the Antarctic for nearly a week will have to wait even longer as weather hampers yet another rescue attempt Monday.

Their latest hope, an Australian icebreaker ship Aurora Australis, is waiting 28 nautical miles away from the Russian-flagged Akademik Shokalskiy on the edge of the packed ice, according to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority

”It’s hard to tell if it makes it through,” said Lisa Martin, a spokeswoman for AMSA. ”There are snow showers in the area that are causing bad visibility; conditions are deteriorating.”

Visibility was only about 200 meters (656 feet), not enough to assess whether the ice breaker can cut through.

”It’s a wait-and-see operation. It’s a very complex situation,” Martin said.Rescue boat for trapped ship in Antarctic waits for better weather, cmm.com December 29, 2013 — Updated 2126 GMT

Snö sinkar räddning i Antarktis, GP 30 december 2013
Snö sinkar räddning i Antarktis, Aftonbladet 30 december 2013
Snö sinkar räddning i Antarktis, SvD 30 december 2013

Earlier report 03.46 GMT 29 december 2013
A Chinese ship trying to reach a trapped expedition vessel in Antarctica has turned back.

The icebreaker Xue Long, or Snow Dragon, was just six nautical miles away from the Russian-flagged vessel when the captain decided the ship could not get any closer, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said Saturday.

The Snow Dragon went back to open water and remains in the vicinity of the stuck ship, the Akademik Shokalskiy, to provide support, said Andrea Hayward-Maher, spokeswoman for the AMSA. The Chinese vessel has a helicopter on board that could assist in evacuation.

A French icebreaker was en route to assist, but AMSA called off that vessel’s mission at midday Saturday.
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AMSA said another icebreaker, the Aurora Australis, was en route and was expected to arrive late Sunday.Chinese icebreaker turns back from Antarctic rescue mission, cnn.com December 29, 2013 — Updated 0346 GMT

74 forskare fastfrusna i Antarktis kyla, Aftonbladet 29 december 2013

Well well… said it before: Al Gore’s prediction of no Ice 2013 has been proven wrong…. Nature wins over political sciences models, Norah4you 25 december 2013