Trapped Xuelong waits for chance to break through

It has been five days since the icebreaker Xuelong was trapped in the Antarctic on Friday. The icy edge of the area, 6 kilometers east of Xuelong, has begun to loosen, which is a good sign for escape. The vessel tried on Monday night to break through the block of intensive ice pack, but failed. The attempt, however, broadened an “ice -breaking runway” for the vessel.

Driven by the ocean current, Xuelong and the ice pack drifted together about 1 nautical mile (about 1.85 kilometers) on Tuesday. Though the vessel remains caught in the ice floes, the researchers on board said at least it’s a "good sign".

The expedition team waits in patience and keeps a close eye on the changes of weather and the status of ice pack. Xuelong will endeavor to free itself when favorable conditions come.