A Russian fishing ship that had to be rescued after being holed by ice in the Antarctic is expected to be repaired in New Zealand.
The Sparta arrived at a port in Nelson on Monday morning after its journey from the Ross Sea where it struck an iceberg on 16 December last year.
A South Korean icebreaker came to its aid, transferring fuel from the fishing boat so it could be raised in the water for temporary repair, exposing a gash 10cm by 40cm.
Plates were welded over the hole and the Sparta began its journey to New Zealand.
A spokesperson for Port Nelson says the fishing vessel is expected to go onto a slipway soon for further repairs and could be in Nelson for up to 10 days.
