All passengers and crew of Russian research ship stuck in ice to be evacuated

All passengers and four crew members on the Russian research ship stuck in the ice off the coast of Antarctica will soon be evacuated by a Chinese helicopter, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Monday, RIA Novosti reports.

“A decision has been made to evacuate 52 passengers and four crew members by a helicopter from China’s Xuelong icebreaker, if weather conditions are suitable,” RIA Novosti quotes the ministry as saying.

Eighteen crew members are expected to remain aboard the icebound ship, the Akademik Shokalsky.

A team of scientists and tourists on the ship had been retracing a famous Australian Antarctic Expedition from 101 years ago when the vessel became trapped in thick ice about a week ago.