MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Hero's welcome for “Almirante Irizar”

The Argentine icebreaker “Almirante Irízar” received a hero's welcome this Sunday in Buenos Aires after its return salvage trip to aid a German scientific vessel trapped by thick ice in Antarctic waters.

Although the original rescue plan to free "Magadalena Ollendorff" from five meters deep ice was not possible, the Argentine icebreaker docked next to her and delivered sufficient fuel and food to last until next summer. An Argentine naval doctor also joined the 18 crewmembers of the "Ollendorff". The rest of the crew had been evacuated early June by South African helicopters.

The German vessel was contracted by a Russian scientific mission in the Antarctic and ended trapped in the ice last June 11th.

"Almirante Irízar" left Buenos Aires June 25th for the 54 days, 8,000 kilometres journey with 300 tons of special fuel and 80 tons of food supplies for the "Ollendorff".

Sailing and working with temperatures 20 degrees below zero, "Almirante Irízar" nevertheless managed to help locate the German vessel in a less exposed area ready to return as soon as the ice begins thinning in the coming summer.

"Almirante Irízar" was acquired by the Argentine Navy in 1980 and has accomplished 27 Antarctic campaigns. During the Falklands conflict she was used as a hospital.

When entering Buenos Aires the icebreaker was escorted by an estimated two hundred yachts and sailing vessels.