SHOWA BASE PARTY

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28513, 17 February 1958, Page 10

SHOWA BASE PARTY

Men Rescued By Beaver

The Japanese Antarctic expedition’s Beaver aircraft, operating from the icebreaker Soya Maru, has rescued all in the winter party from Showa Base, on Ongul Island off Prince Olav Coast, according to reports received in Christchurch during the week-end at the headquarters of the United States Antarctic expedition. The reports say the rescue was completed between breaks in a snowfall Nine dogs with the expedition have been recovered. The others are still at the base. The Soya Maru still has 200 tons of stores to deliver for the new winter party.

Meantime the American icebreaker Burton Island, which has been called in to aid the Japanese ship, is attempting to break through heavy pack ice to make a channel for the Soya Maru. On Saturday the Burton Island’s captain decided to move out to open water and try further east for a lead into the pack ice. Outbound leads were choked with massive ice floes and the icebreaker was only able to proceed three miles when it was stopped by an old pressure ridge and darkness. The latest report, at noon yesterday, said that snow was still falling thickly without a break. East-bound leads through the pack ice had tightly packed into floes 15ft thick.

The Burton Island, at the time of the last report, had been under way for 14 hours, this time being spent in trying to cut through to make a new channel.

Two small Belgian ships which had been ice-bound in the Breid Bay area on the Princess Ragnhild Coast for 34 days and had appealed to the United States Navy for aid. are now clear of pack ice. The ships are proceeding without difficulty and are expected to reach Cape Town on February 21.