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Damaged Russian ship freed from Antarctic ice. After nearly two weeks of being stranded
in Antarctic waters due to hull damage that occurred in a collision with ice, the Russian
vessel Sparta was successfully repaired thanks to New Zealand and South Korean joint rescue
efforts. Having anchored to an Antarctic shelf to keep from sinking, the Sparta and her 32
Russian, Indonesian and Ukrainian crew members were first aided by New Zealand's Rescue Coordination
Center, which made two parachute drops of water pumps and hull patching gear. When the
South Korean research vessel Araon arrived, her crews pumped fuel out of the Sparta to
allow the damaged area to become accessible for repair. By Wednesday, with repairs complete,
the Araon was escorting the Sparta back into open waters.
Our sincere thanks, New Zealand Rescue Coordination Center and South Korea's Araon crew, for your
kind and lifesaving assistance. Wishing the Sparta crew a safe passage home and many joyous
reunions with loved ones�