United States icebreaker to rescue trapped Russian ship

The United States has sent a heavy icebreaker to help free a Russian ship and a Chinese icebreaker gripped by Antarctic ice. The American assistance was requested by Australian authorities as well as from the Russian and Chinese governments. The Chinese icebreaker helped rescue 52 passengers from the Russian ship stranded in ice found itself stuck on Friday. The Russian ship was the first to become trapped 100 nautical miles from the French Antarctic station Dumont d’Urville. Tourists and scientist on the Russian ship amused themselves for eight days with yoga, learning languages and knot-tying classes. They stomped a rescue helicopter landing space onto the snow and ice and rang in the new year with dinner and singing songs. The rescued tourists and scientists are all safe and well, but the Russian crew are still waiting for the Americans to rescue them.