Fishing Boat Stuck in Ice for 3 Days in Antarctica

The Polar Star rescuing the Antarctic Cheftain. (Photo Credit: U.S. Coast Guard)

An Australian ship and its crew is finally being towed after being stuck in the ice since Wednesday.

The Antarctic Chieftain, which is owned by Australian Longline Pty, asked for help on Wednesday when it became stuck in an ice field and damaged its propeller. Three of the four blades were broken trying to break through ice floes. The hull thankfully wasn't damaged, and the Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) said on Thursday that the crew of 26 was not at risk.

“There is clear water around the vessel, so the hull is not being squeezed by the ice, but a combination of an unexpected build-up of ice floes 2-3m thick and damage to the propeller means it cannot get back to the open sea without assistance,” said Manager of RCCNZ and Safety services Mike Hill.

The boat was apparently well-equipped with supplies, even for its location about 1,700 km off McMurdo Sound.

The Antarctic Chieftain stuck in the ice. (Photo Credit: U.S. Coast Guard)

A U.S. Coast Guard ship, Polar Star, arrived early Saturday through snowy conditions and large icebergs to rescue the fishing boat. “The ice conditions were found to be much more formidable than expected. We are on scene and progressing well with the rescue,” said Capt. Matthew Walker, commanding officer of the Polar Star. “It is with a great sense of pride that we are able to assist Antarctic Chieftain. Search and rescue has always been our core mission and Polar Star is demonstrating the Coast Guard’s commitment to saving lives in all the world’s oceans.”

The Polar Star then broke the ice around Antarctic Chieftain and deployed a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) to assess the propeller damage. The crew determined that the propeller was too broken to get the fishing boat out of the ice field, so the Polar Star rigged up tow lines to bring the Antarctic Chieftain to open water.

“They are making slow, but steady progress and are currently approximately 60 nautical miles from clear water in the North,” said RCCNZ Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator Conrad Reynecke. A New Zealand fishing vessel Janas is also on its way to help if needed.

The Polar Star is one of the world's most powerful non-nuclear ice breakers, and the Coast Guard says it's their only heavy icebreaker that's able to operate in the thick Antarctic ice for a mission such as this.

Weather is supposed to be favourable for all three of the vessels.