New bid to free trapped ships in Antarctica

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority says it is hopeful a US icebreaker will be able to free two vessels trapped in Antarctic sea ice.

The US Coast Guard's icebreaker, the Polar Star, has accepted an Australian request to go to the aid of the marooned Russian ship Akademic Shokalskiy, which has been stuck since late December.

It will also aid the Chinese icebreaker Xue Long which was involved in the rescue of the Shokalskiy's 52 passengers last week, but also became trapped in the ice.

AMSA spokeswoman, Lisa Martin, told Naomi Selvaratnam the Polar Star is better equipped to handle the conditions in the Antarctic.

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