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RESCUE HAVE BEGUN TO FADE.
THE WEATHER'S A BIT TODAY IT'S
MINUS 1 AND BLOWING SNOW.
OVERNIGHT, ANOTHER SETBACK FOR
THE LATEST RESCUE MISSION.
THE AUSTRALIAN ICE BREAKER SHIP
AURORA FORCED TO TURN BACK TO
OPEN WATER AFTER WORSENING
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS MADE IT TOO
DANGEROUS FOR THE SHIP TO
CONTINUE.
IT CAME CLOSE WITHIN TEN
NAUTICAL MILES OF THE STRANDED
RESEARCH SHIP BEFORE HAVING TO
RETREAT BACK TO 18 MILES.
RESEARCH EXPEDITION LEADER HAD
EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT THE
HARSH WEATHER, WORKING AGAINST
THEM.
UNFORTUNATELY THE WEATHER
FORECAST HAS THESE SORT OF
CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE FOR THE
NEXT FEW DAYS.
ALL EFFORTS INCLUDING AIR
LIFTING PASSENGERS BY HELICOPTER
ON HOLD UNTIL VISIBILITY
IMPROVES.
THE RESEARCH TEAM SET OUT TO
STUDY CLIMATE CHANGE AND
RETRACED THE STEPS OF EXPLORER
DOUGLAS MORESON WHO STUDIED ICE
ON THE CONTINENT A CENTURY AGO.
ON CHRISTMAS EVE, JUST 100 MILES
FROM WHERE THEY STARTED, THEIR
SHIP CAME TO A HALT, STUCK IN
TEN FOOT HIGH ICE AND THEY
HAVEN'T BUDGED SINCE.
>> THAT'S THE ICE BREAKER COMING
TO RESCUE US.
>> BRILLIANT.
>> Reporter: THE CREW SPOTTED
THE FIRST RESCUE SHIP FROM CHINA
KNOWN AS THE SNOW DRAGON IN THE
DISTANCE, BUT THEIR HOPES WERE
QUICKLY DASHED.
THE HIGHS BREAKER ONLY ABOUT 6
NAUTICAL MILES AWAY FROM THE
TRAPPED VESSEL COULDN'T GET ANY
CLOSER DUE TO THE UNUSUALLY
THICK ICE.
A FRIEND ICE BREAKER TO ASSIST.
THE MISSION BECAME CLEAR THE
SHIP WOULDN'T GET FARTHER THAN
THE CHINESE BOAT.
>> WE ARE IN THE ICE.
ALL THE WELL, HAPPY CHRISTMAS.
>> Reporter: STILL SPIRITS ON
THE BOAT REMAIN HIGH.
CREW PEBS AND PASSENGERS
CHANNELING THEIR ENERGIES IN
POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, CREATING
VIDEO DIARIES FOR FAMILY MEMBERS
AND TELLING EVERYONE NA THEY'RE
HAVING A GREAT TIME.
>> IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY.
IT COULD BE A BETTER DAY TO HAVE
A BIRTHDAY WITH MY 80-SOMETHING
NEW FRIENDS.
WE HAVE SOME SINGING ON THE ICE,
WHICH SHOULD BE FANTASTIC AS
WELL.
>> IT'S ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR
HERE.
IT'S LIKE THIS MAGICAL WINTER
WONDER LAND.
>> Reporter: THE SPIRIT HAS BEEN
FANTASTIC.
IT REALLY HAS.
WE CAREFULLY CHOSE THE PEOPLE WE
HAD TOGETHER WE THOUGHT WOULD
GET ON WELL.
WE WEREN'T SUGGESTING SUCH A
SEVERE TEST OF THE COMMUNITY
SPIRIT.
BUT EVERYONE'S KEPT REALLY GOOD
MORALE.
THEY'RE KEEPING THEIR SPIRITS UP
AT LEAST.