Infern0
Banned
Airdrop rescues ship trapped in Ross Sea
By MICHAEL FIELD - Fairfax Media | Sunday, 06 January 2008
Supplied
HEAVEN SENT: A US Air Force plan drops engine parts to a trawler trapped in the ice in the Ross Sea.
A British trawler trapped in Antarctic ice in New Zealand's Ross Sea has been rescued this morning by an airdrop from one of the world's largest aircraft.
Operation Deep Freeze, the US Air Force base in Christchurch, says the toothfish boat Argos Georgia lost all power on Christmas Eve and is frozen near the Ross Ice Shelf off Scott Base.
The British owned boat has 25 people aboard.
The only help possible was a drop of engine parts by parachute out the back of one of the world's largest aircraft, the C17 Globemaster.
"Considering the unforgiving Antarctic climate, we recognized the potential for this to become a life or death situation. Quick action was needed and versatile airpower was the response," said Operation Deep Freeze commander Lieutenant General Loyd Uttterback.
In an 11-hour mission, a C-17 and crew launched from Christchurch and air-dropped approximately 68 kilograms of supplies abeam the Argos Georgia.
The Argos Georgia had suffered serious engine failure from negotiating ice while heading South in the Ross Sea, leaving it without propulsion and drifting with the ice.
Argos Georgia Limited requested US military assistance and provided the spare parts and floatation aids.
Commander of the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, Lieutenant Colonel Jim McGann was delighted with the outcome.
"This is what we train for, what we're experts at. It's a challenging mission, but this capability is inherent in the C-17 and epitomizes the Global Reach concept."
This is the latest in a series of dangerous incidents on polar waters.
In November a cruise liner Explorer hit an iceberg and sank near the Antarctic Peninsula and last week another liner, Fram, lost power and hit a glacier.
By MICHAEL FIELD - Fairfax Media | Sunday, 06 January 2008
HEAVEN SENT: A US Air Force plan drops engine parts to a trawler trapped in the ice in the Ross Sea.
A British trawler trapped in Antarctic ice in New Zealand's Ross Sea has been rescued this morning by an airdrop from one of the world's largest aircraft.
Operation Deep Freeze, the US Air Force base in Christchurch, says the toothfish boat Argos Georgia lost all power on Christmas Eve and is frozen near the Ross Ice Shelf off Scott Base.
The British owned boat has 25 people aboard.
The only help possible was a drop of engine parts by parachute out the back of one of the world's largest aircraft, the C17 Globemaster.
"Considering the unforgiving Antarctic climate, we recognized the potential for this to become a life or death situation. Quick action was needed and versatile airpower was the response," said Operation Deep Freeze commander Lieutenant General Loyd Uttterback.
In an 11-hour mission, a C-17 and crew launched from Christchurch and air-dropped approximately 68 kilograms of supplies abeam the Argos Georgia.
The Argos Georgia had suffered serious engine failure from negotiating ice while heading South in the Ross Sea, leaving it without propulsion and drifting with the ice.
Argos Georgia Limited requested US military assistance and provided the spare parts and floatation aids.
Commander of the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, Lieutenant Colonel Jim McGann was delighted with the outcome.
"This is what we train for, what we're experts at. It's a challenging mission, but this capability is inherent in the C-17 and epitomizes the Global Reach concept."
This is the latest in a series of dangerous incidents on polar waters.
In November a cruise liner Explorer hit an iceberg and sank near the Antarctic Peninsula and last week another liner, Fram, lost power and hit a glacier.