Icebreaker Trying to Rescue Antarctic Ship Gets Stuck

The captain of a Chinese icebreaker trying to rescue an icebound vessel in the Antarctic puts it diplomatically to CNN: "The current ice condition is exceeding our capabilities to break through further." In other words, it's stuck, too. The good news is that the Chinese ship is a mere 6 nautical miles from the stranded MV Akademik Shokalskiy, and if the weather cooperates it might be able to start moving again and get there in two days. Or it might need help from two other icebreakers on the way.

The Shokalskiy got stranded in a blizzard on Christmas Eve, though the researchers on board have taken it in stride. In fact, USA Today says expedition leader Chris Turney of Australia has become of a celebrity of sorts with his videos and tweets, exuding the "enthusiasm and nonchalance of a real-life Indiana Jones." (More Antarctica stories.)