First rescued from the Russian ship are taken to Australian icebreaker

After spending more than a week trapped in the ice of Antarctica, thirty of the 52 passengers on the Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy were rescued and taken to an Australian icebreaker.

Local media reported that the helicopter of the Chinese icebreaker Xue Long, carried passengers to an ice floe and then were transported by barge to the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority, who coordinated the operation, said the 22 crew members remain in the Akademik Shokalskiy waiting for the ice to melt out of the area.

Akademik Shokalskiy have asked for help since Christmas Day, however the several rescue attempts via air and sea had been frustrated because of the bad weather conditions in the Commonwealth Bay.