Antarctic cruise ship trapped in ice

British passengers were among those stranded on the cruise ship, the tour operator confirmed on Wednesday.

Travel Insurance News - 19/02/2009

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At around 3:00am GMT, the MV Ocean Nova ran aground, not far off an Argentine base in Antarctica.

According to comments by Argentina’s Navy, which flew over the incident site, the cruise ship had not lost fuel or electricity. On the Navy’s website was a statement indicating that there were "no risks" for the 106 passengers and crew members on board.

The operator of the Ocean Nova, Quark Expeditions, said that the ship’s captain would attempt to dislodge the vessel at high tide, and added that a contingency plan was being readied with other ships on the way to mount a rescue if that proved necessary.

The Connecticut-based cruise operator commented: “All guests, staff, crew and officers remain safe. An initial assessment of damage indicated that there was no imminent danger and no threat to lives.”

A spokesperson for Quark added: “As a precaution Captain Per Gravesen issued a distress signal, which was recognised by the Argentine emergency services. The situation remains stable and passengers are enjoying the regularly scheduled lecture program.”

Ocean Nova was built in 1992, originally to sail in Greenland’s icy waters. According to Quark, it has a hull that was strengthened specifically for icy conditions and is said to be an excellent choice for polar expeditions.

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