An Australian expedition to the Antarctic is stuck in ice. The ship has about 70 people on board from Australia and many other countries including New Zealand. Most of the passengers are scientists. They want to find the huts used by the Australian explorer, Douglas Mawson, 100 years ago in Antarctica. He was one of those famous Antarctic explorers, along with Amundsen, Scott and Shackleton.
The ship left New Zealand at the end of November but on Christmas Eve a blizzard blew and the ice became too thick for the ship. It cannot move. However, three icebreakers are on the way. A Chinese icebreaker – the Snow Dragon – is now about 20km away but it will take time for the ship to cut through the ice. An Australian and a French icebreaker are also on the way.
Meanwhile there is no danger for passengers on the ship.
Listen to January 17th 2012 to hear more about Scott and Amundsen in the Antarctic.
Vocabulary
Note: The Antarctic, or Antarctica.
- expedition – a journey by a group of people, often by scientists.
- stuck – cannot move
- on board – on a ship
- hut – building where the explorers stayed
- blizzard – snow storm
- icebreaker – a ship which can cut through ice