Antarctica

• Wednesday, January 8th 2014 - 01:00 UTC

  IAATO expedition vessel helps HCA chart Antarctic waters

  

  An IAATO sailing yacht has demonstrated that private and commercial vessels on expeditions in Antarctica can perform official hydrographic surveys and produce navigational charts that are still much needed for the region. Results were presented at the 13th Conference of the Hydrographic Commission on Antarctica (HCA) in Cadiz, Spain 3-5 December, hosted by the Spanish Navy.

• Sunday, January 5th 2014 - 14:41 UTC

  US icebreaker sent to Antarctica to rescue Chinese and Russian trapped vessels

  

  A U.S. Coast Guard heavy icebreaker left Australia for Antarctica on Sunday to rescue more than 120 crew members aboard two icebreakers trapped in pack ice near the frozen continent’s eastern edge, officials said. The 122-meter cutter, the Polar Star, is responding to a Jan. 3 request from Australia, Russia and China to assist the Russian and Chinese ships.

• Friday, January 3rd 2014 - 14:43 UTC

  Chinese icebreaker trapped in Antarctica after rescuing passengers from Russian vessel

  

  The Chinese icebreaker that helped rescue 52 passengers from a Russian ship stranded in Antarctic ice found itself stuck in heavy ice, further complicating the 9-day “roller-coaster” rescue operation. “Snow Dragon” (Xue Long) had ferried the passengers from the stranded Russian ship to an Australian icebreaker late on Thursday.

• Thursday, January 2nd 2014 - 16:00 UTC

  China starts to build its fourth Antarctica base: more planned

  

  Just days after the Chinese rover Jade Rabbit settled down on the moon, China is setting out to bolster its presence in another remote place: Antarctica. Chinese state media said on Thursday that construction workers are en route to the future site of China’s fourth Antarctic research station, after a pit stop at one of its other bases.

• Thursday, January 2nd 2014 - 15:49 UTC

  Chinese helicopter rescues stranded passengers from Russian vessel trapped in Antarctic ice

  

  A Chinese helicopter reached on Thursday a Russian ship stranded in Antarctica for nine days to pick up 52 passengers who spent Christmas and the New Year trapped in ice, the expedition leader has said.

• Wednesday, December 25th 2013 - 22:03 UTC

  Three icebreakers to the rescue of Antarctica trapped Russia's 'Akademic Shokalskiy'

  

  Seventy four people spent Christmas aboard a cruise ship that has become stuck in the ice in a remote region off the coast of Antarctica and rescue vessels are at least two days away, according to Australian maritime officials. Three icebreakers are sailing to the rescue.

• Wednesday, December 18th 2013 - 07:05 UTC

  Kimberlite rocks found in Antarctica could mean the territory is rich in diamonds

  

  The prospect that Antarctica could be rich in diamonds was published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, following the discovery by a team of a telltale rock called kimberlite in the Prince Charles Mountains in East Antarctica.

• Tuesday, December 17th 2013 - 17:51 UTC

  West Antarctic ice sheet loss, one of the multi-year projects to be started this year by BAS

  

  With the Antarctic Summer well underway, British Antarctic Territory Commissioner Peter Hayes has sent his well wishes to British Antarctic Survey staff (BAS) working on the continent over the coming months. In a recent letter to UK Base commanders Dr Hayes commented:

• Saturday, December 14th 2013 - 05:56 UTC

  Prince Harry and team of 'Walking with the wounded' reach South Pole

  

  Prince Harry and his fellow adventurers in the Walking With The Wounded expedition have arrived at the South Pole, the organizers have said. The group stood at the bottom of the world at 12:00 GMT Friday after more than three weeks of pulling sleds.

• Friday, December 13th 2013 - 09:11 UTC

  Ice loss pushing Antarctica side-wards half an inch per year, according to GPS recordings

  

  Heavy ice loss in West Antarctica has weakened it mantle underneath, allowing the stronger East Antarctica mantle to push it around, according to Ohio State University researchers. The discovery was made after recording GPS measurements, which clearly showed that the West Antarctic bedrock is being pushed at an alarming rate of half an inch per year.