Russian fishing ship in trouble in Antarctica
A Russian fishing boat is taking on water and listing in Antarctica after sending a mayday distress call, but help may be days away, Skynews reports.
The Rescue Co-ordination Centre said the 55-metre Sparta which had 32 crew on board sent a mayday call around 3am which was picked up in Norway and relayed to the centre in Wellington.
The vessel's sister ship said the Sparta was taking on water.
It was next to the ice shelf, east of the Ross Sea, about 2000 nautical miles southeast of New Zealand.
Search and rescue mission co-ordinator Tracy Brickles said the crew was pumping water out and non-essential crew members disembarked onto the ice as a precaution.
The Sparta was reported to be on a 13 degree list.
Ms Brickles said it had contacted other ships in the area to go to the Sparta's aid but they were being hindered by ice.
'The closest ones are hampered by heavy ice, making vessel movement very difficult. The closest vessel which can cut through the ice is several days away.'
Its sister ship Chiyo Maru No.3 is about 290 nautical miles away and would take days to reach Sparta.
A Hercules aircraft belonging to a United States search and rescue team based at the Antarctic research centre at McMurdo Station would take off later on Friday morning to fly over the Sparta and assess ice conditions.