A Chinese icebreaker has started punching its way through thick sea ice to free a shipload of researchers and tourists on the coast of eastern Antarctica, in Commonwealth Bay.
Expedition leader Chris Turney tweeted: "Great news. Icebreaker Snow Dragon on horizon with penguins! Everyone very happy!"
The Chinese ice-breaker Xue Long (Snow Dragon) dashed from Freemantle to the Ross Sea 2676km southwest of Bluff to mount the rescue bid.
Professor Turney said there was absolute ecstasy on board the trapped Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy when the icebreaker was spotted at about 9pm on Friday.
But he said the rescue was making slow progress because of the ice which wind had pushed into that side of Commonwealth Bay.
The view from the trapped Akademik Shokalskiy. Photo: SUPPLIED
Professor Turney said once the rescue vessels arrived alongside, his expedition would follow them out of the ice while the weather remained good.
He estimated the icebreaker was less than 19km away and said he hoped the trapped ship would be free by morning.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the Chinese icebreaker was "progressing at slow speed".
It was joined by a French ship, Astrolabe, which is following through the broken-up ice, about 9km behind. The Australian Antarctic supply ship, the Aurora Australis, is expected to arrive on Sunday.
The Russian ice-strengthened passenger ship became stuck on Christmas Eve, and called for help on Christmas Day.
It had gone into a polynya - an area of unfrozen water surrounded by sea ice - only to find that an increasingly strong southeasterly wind pushed sea ice into the gap to block its escape north.
At that point, the open sea was only 3km away, but Professor Turney says that a series of low-pressure weather systems, and a Boxing Day blizzard built up the sea ice until the open sea wa nearly 40km away.
The Russian vessel and the 74 people on board make up the Australasian Antarctic Expedition following the route explorer Douglas Mawson travelled a century ago.
Six New Zealanders are among the passengers and crew, and a New Zealand ornithologist, Kerry-Jayne Wilson, aboard the Akademik Shokalskiy said there was very thick ice for as far as the eye could see.
The other New Zealanders include Jon and Barbara Tucker from the Mawson's Huts Foundation, Auckland scientist and paramedic Colin Tan, and two chefs, including Nicola Kerr, of Omakau.
Professor Turney, of the University of New South Wales, told Summer Report that freeing the ship was a sensitive operation and more than one icebreaker was needed.
Kerry-Jayne Wilson says that once the vessel escapes the ice, it will next go to Macquarie Island.
