The rescue of the Russian ship cost $1.6 million

The rescue of the Russian ship that last December was stranded in Antarctica, with dozens of tourists and scientists on board, cost around 1.6 million dollars (1.2 million euros), local media reported today.

The director of the Antarctic Australian Division, Tony Fleming, said that the Government agency negotiates with insurance companies the reimbursement of the cost.

Australian authorities were responsible for the rescue of 52 passengers stranded on the Russian ship Akadémik Shokálskiy, in a complicated operation by sea and air that lasted severas days, involving the Chinese icebreaker Xue Long, the American Polar Star and the Australian Aurora Australis.

The rescued passengers were transferred by the Australian icebreaker to the island of Tasmania, arriving on January 22.