Antarctic rescue of Akademik Shokalskiy ship under way
The BBC's Andrew Luck-Baker described the arrival of a Chinese
helicopter
An operation is under way in
Antarctica to rescue passengers from the ice-bound research vessel Akademik
Shokalskiy.
A helicopter from a Chinese ship set down nearby, bringing in a crew to assess the landing situation.
The aircraft left but then returned to begin ferrying the first passengers out to an Australian ice-breaker.
The Shokalskiy has been trapped since Christmas Eve. Its 22 crew are expected to remain on board once the 52 scientists and tourists have left.
The Shokalskiy was trapped by thick sheets of ice driven by strong winds, about 1,500 nautical miles south of Hobart - the capital of the Australian state of Tasmania.
The vessel is being used by the Australasian Antarctic Expedition to follow the route explorer Douglas Mawson travelled a century ago.
'Thanks everyone!'
"The Chinese helicopter has arrived at the Shokalskiy. It's 100% we're off! A huge thanks to all," expedition leader Chris Turney tweeted.
The first group of passengers to be airlifted out
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