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Blame game chills Antarctic rescue efforts
Source:Globaltimes.cn Published: 2014-1-6 16:57:00
| Latest News |
 Source: CCTV |
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| Chinese icebreaker Xuelong prepares for breaking-out China's trapped icebreaker preparing for breakout amid uncertain conditions US icebreakers concerned insufficient Xuelong opens 1-km runway, US icebreaker to help 2 stuck ships Normal life of scientists aboard Xuelong undisturbed Scientific researches undisturbed on stranded Chinese icebreaker in Antarctic Xi requests safety of staff aboard stranded icebreaker |
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| Timeline |
| November 7, 2013 |
Chinese icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, embarks on its 30th Antarctic expedition. |
| December 2, 2013 | Xuelong enters ice floes near China’s Antarctic outpost, Zhongshan Station. |
| December 19, 2013 |
Xuelong embarks on its first circumpolar voyage since China began missions to Antarctica in 1984, according to People's Daily Online. |
| December 25, 2013 | Russian vessel MV Akademik Shokalskiy was stranded in the Antarctic. |
| December 27, 2013 |
Xuelong gets within 10 nautical miles (18,520 meters) from the Russian vessel. |
| December 31, 2013 |
Unable to advance any further, the Xuelong dispatches a helicopter to help in the rescue. |
| January 2 |
The helicopter rescues 52 passengers stranded on the Russian vessel. |
| January 3 |
Xuelong is trapped in heavy ice floes. |
| January 4 | Xuelong creates a kilometer-long-runway in preparation for breaking through the ice, according to a CRI report. |
| January 6 | Xuelong waits for favorable weather conditions to break through the ice. |
| Comments |
Global Times
Xuelong epitome of humanitarian outreach
Xuelong, not a professional icebreaker, failed to rescue the ship from the ice. But its performance, especially the success in rescuing all the passengers, has been given the thumbs up by global public opinion. China should be proud of it.
la Croix
The Russian research vessel's expedition has put many other countries' icebreakers in harm's way. This situation reveals the risk of an Antarctic expedition and complexity of carrying out an emergency rescue. Some scientists have raised questions as to who will pay for such rescues.
The Observer
There is relief, but there is also frustration over what appears to be a misrepresentation of the expedition in some news outlets and on the Internet. We have been accused of being a tourist trip with little scientific value; of being ill-prepared for the conditions; putting our rescuers at risk; and making light of a dangerous situation. Others have remarked on what they describe as the "irony" of climate researchers stuck in unexpected ice.
| About Xuelong |
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Web editor: gelili@globaltimes.com.cn
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