Rescuers in Antarctica safely transferred on Thursday all 52 passengers stranded on the ice-bound research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy.
The helicopter from the Chinese icebreaker Snow Dragon took all the passengers from the ice-bound Akademik Shokalskiy and transferred them to an Australian Antarctic supply ship, the Aurora Australis.
Chris Turney, the leader of the private expedition, said conditions had improved enough to mount the rescue after days of blizzards, fog and shifting sea ice.
Television pictures showed the helicopter checking out a makeshift landing pad on the ice then apparently picking up the first group of 12 passengers.