Chinese icebreaker ‘Xue Long’ collided on an iceberg in Antarctic, during its 35th Antarctic research mission, on January 19. After the collision the icebreaker avoided any mechanical casualties and according to the Ministry of Natural Resources there were no injuries reported concerning the crew onboard.
Specifically, the collision took place off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula.
The icebreaker was conducting three knots in conditions with extreme fog at the time the collision occurred. Xue Long’s deck collided on a small mountain of ice and snow and the crew used axes, firehoses and deck cranes in a try to break the ice and debris and place it on the side so that the vessel could move forward.
The ‘Xue Long’ icebreaker was built in 1993 and for the time being it is the only icebreaker, as a second vessel is to be delivered in 2019.
In conclusion, China has an active involvement in the polar regions, and its activities in Antarctica figure prominently in state media coverage.
