Icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov is half a mile from open water

18.11.2009
Icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov of the Far East Shipping Company (FESCO) enchained by Antarctic ice is half a mile from open water and will reach it in a day, said the source from FESCO to RIA Novosti on Tuesday.

Despite the wind has not risen and is still 6 mps, the icebreaker covered about three miles during last day, including the most difficult interval with the strongest ice nip. The vessel moves only through proficiency of its captain Viktor Vasiliev, added the source. To estimate the problem, the captain even made helicopter recon.

Icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov was caught in the ice when it was cruising coastwise Antarctic. Strong west and southwest wind blew ice to the ship's anchorage site. There are 105 passengers aboard the icebreaker; mostly, they are British tourists and BBC camera crew shooting the film Frozen Planet. The ship is heading for the world's most southern city Ushuaia located at Argentine part of Tierra del Fuego.

Kapitan Khlebnikov is an icebreaker of Kapitan Sorokin-class. It was constructed in 1981 in Finland, commissioned in FESCO same year. In 1991 it was refitted to tourist vessel and has been performing Arctic and Antarctic cruises for many years. Tonnage of the ship is 14,917 tonnes, length is 129 meters, beam is 26.7 meters, draft is 8.5 meters, crew is up to 76 men.

Source: RusNavy.com, photo: icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov (nydailynews.com)