Assessment to begin on Aurora Australis icebreaker

“Improved weather conditions should allow the transfer of expeditioners from the grounded icebreaker Aurora Australis to Mawson research station today, after which the ship’s crew will attempt to refloat the vessel”, it said.

The US Antarctic program is lending a hand to expeditioners from another of Australia’s research stations.

The vessel broke its moorings on Wednesday in winds of more than 170km/h, with more than 68 crew and expeditioners on board who had to wait until conditions eased on Friday to be transferred to land.

The ship, which on Wednesday hit rocks at West Arm in Horseshoe Harbour, will be refloated through a combined process of using the ballast system and work boats.

The Australis’ crew continue to monitor a hull breach in a normally-full ballast tank; the breach was discovered Thursday.

The vessel incurred a small breach in the hull when it ran aground, which the AAD said poses no risk to the ship’s stability or to the environment.

The group of 30 will be flown from Davis to Casey research stations, both run by Australia, where they will be flown home by the Australian Antarctic Division’s A319 Airbus.

The AAD is working closely with the owners of the Aurora Australis, P&O Maritime Services, to ensure the safety of all passengers and crew as a priority.

The ship left Hobart on 11 January and had been involved in marine science efforts in Antarctic waters and arrived at Mawson Station for resupply last weekend.

A United States aircraft will be used to help ferry some expeditioners between Australian stations and Dr Gales said other worldwide resources are on standby.

The ageing vessel has been battling the stormy Southern Ocean since 1989 and is scheduled to be replaced in 2019 by a new custom-built ship that will be faster, bigger and offer increased endurance.

As well as being the coldest continent on Earth, Antarctica is also the windiest.