US Cutter Heading to Antarctic to Free Russian, Chinese Vessels

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Polar Star is steaming toward Antarctica, to join the rescue effort for the icebound Russian vessel M.V. Akademik Shokalskiy and the Chinese icebreaker Snow Dragon. The Polar Star, a non-nuclear icebreaker, cut short a planned stop in Sydney, Australia this week on its first deployment since a $90 million overhaul. It is expected to reach the two vessels, about 1,500 nautical miles south of Hobart, Australia, by Thursday. The Russian ship left New Zealand...

© La Voix de l'Amérique - lundi 6 janvier 2014