Chch scientists stay in trapped ship

Press, 4 December 1985, Page 6

Chch scientists stay in trapped ship

Two Christchurch scientists, among a large Australian scientific contingent trapped aboard a ship in Antarctic ice for six weeks, should be rescued by an icebreaker in 12 days. Helicopters picked up 20 scientists from the trapped Nella Dan yesterday, but the two New Zealanders were not among them.

Mr Paul Ensor and Miss Jeni Bassett, both marine biologists, decided to stay aboard the vessel to continue their research work. The scientists rescued yesterday were flown across the thick ridge of ice surrounding the vessel to the Australian supply ship Icebird, which had managed to

get within four kilometres of the Nella Dan. The Japanese ice-breaker Shirase was due to sail from Fremantle yesterday and should take about 12 days to reach the Nella Dan. It is expected that she will have no trouble forcing a passage for the trapped vessel. Mr Rex Moncur, deputy director of the Australian Department of Science’s Antarctic division, in Hobart, said Mr Ensor and Miss Bassett were among 69 scientists and crew who have been trapped in the ship in 1.5 m of ice near Amundsen Bay since October 23. The 20 scientists rescued yesterday had wanted to get

back to Australia quickly but the New Zealanders were doing “profitable research” and had asked to remain. Three helicopters working in convoy flew the scientists off the Nella Dan to the Icebird, which will continue her resupplying mission to Australian Antarctic bases before returning to Hobart. Mr Moncur said that those aboard the Nella Dan had not been in any danger, and the Shirase’s rescue effort would be straight-for-ward. “An earlier report that the Nella Dan’s propeller had lifted out of the water was incorrect; and Antarctic ships such as the Nella Dan carry a year’s supply of food,” he said.