The Chinese icebreaker ship Xue Long broadens an 'ice-breaking runway' in Antarctica in preparation for the westerly wind that helped free it from pack ice. Photograph: Zhang Jiansong/Rex Features
A Russian research ship has broken through thick sea ice off the coast of Antarctica where it had been trapped since Christmas Eve.
The Akademik Shokalskiy managed to crack through the thick ice floes that last week triggered a dramatic rescue mission to evacuate its 52 passengers by helicopter.
A second ship, a Chinese icebreaker named the Xue Long (Snow Dragon), also managed to free itself from the frozen Antarctic seas on Tuesday. The vessel, which was trapped for several days after helping to rescue the Shokalskiy's passengers, spent 14 hours working to break through the pack ice before eventually reaching open waters at 10am (GMT).
The captain of the Shokalskiy told Russian media that a fortunate shift in wind direction had helped open the thick ice floes that had trapped his ship for 14 days.
"Finally the wind changed to the west and as a result a crack appeared in the ice. We went into it and we are now slowly moving north," Igor Kiselyov told Russia's Itar-Tass news agency. "We are going at a slow speed and by changing course we have moved forward already more than 20 miles."
A crew of 22 remained on the Shokalskiy after its 52 passengers – including tourists, journalists and scientists – were airlifted by a helicopter from the Xue Long on Thursday.
The passengers were then flown to an Australian icebreaker, the Aurora Australis, which had cracked through ice floes and was now sailing towards Australia's Casey research base.
Alok Jha, the Guardian's science correspondent who is part of the Antarctic expedition, said it felt strange to be back in open water.
"We're on the move again. It felt a little strange after 10 days of being stuck in the pack ice. All the familiar feelings from a month ago have come back one by one – the insistent hum of the ship's engine, the rocking from side to side, being surrounded by an endless expanse of rolling water," he said.
"After last week's rescue, adrenaline levels went back to normal and those of us who were erstwhile passengers on the Akademik Shokalskiy have spent the past few days quietly adjusting to the rhythms of our new home, the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis."
• This article was amended on 8th January. It had stated incorrectly that the passengers were airlifted from the Xue Long.
Reference:
1. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/07/stranded-antarctic-ships-break-through-ice
2. http://www.student.thestandard.com.hk/listern_read/PDF/g/file_20140115183436070554.pdf
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