Americans Go To Aid Of Stranded Russians

An American icebreaker is churning through pack ice in 24-hour midwinter darkness to bring tons of food and supplies to 38 Russians marooned at an Antarctic research base.

The U.S. National Science Foundation is sending its primary research ship, the 308-foot icebreaker Nathaniel B. Palmer, to bring emergency rations to the Russians at Mirny base, which is due to run out of food around June 15.

The Nathaniel B. Palmer reported it was diverted Saturday from a research trip studying ocean currents in the southern Indian Ocean, and was expecting to reach pack ice near Mirny base on Monday or Tuesday.

The Russians were stranded when their resupply ship, the Akademik Fyodorov, left St. Petersburg behind schedule and then lost power. It is now running at 70 percent propulsion capacity, National Science Foundation officials reported.