Dozens of scientists and tourists who spent over a week aboard a vessel trapped in Antarctic ice were rescued Thursday in an international effort that followed multiple attempts thwarted by the region's harsh climate.
The 52 were safely rescued by a transport helicopter from a Chinese icebreaker that landed on a makeshift helipad of ice near their stricken Russian research vessel. In multiple flights, it transferred about 12 at a time to an Australian vessel, where they will begin their journeys home, said authorities involved in the operation.
'Great relief!' scientific expedition leader Chris Turney said in a Twitter TWTR +6.05% message.
The airlift operation was confirmed by China's official Xinhua news agency, which has a reporter aboard the Chinese icebreaker, the Xue Long, or Snow Dragon. A statement from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, in charge of coordinating the operation, indicated passengers were safely transferred by early evening to the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis.
Trapped in a particularly thick ice floe just before Christmas on its way toward Antarctica, the Russian research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy remains immobile. Its 22-member crew is staying aboard. While the passengers weren't in imminent danger, they expressed frustration as holidays passed but also maintained their spirits, including by stamping out the makeshift helipad with their feet on New Year's Day.
Thursday's rescue marked only the latest attempt to get close to the blue-hulled Russian vessel since it first called for help on Christmas Day. Over the past few days, ice-breaking vessels from China, Australia and France have made separate unsuccessful bids to cut through thick layers of ice to reach it.
After the rescue got under way Thursday afternoon under bright blue skies, video footage showed the twin-blade helicopter touching down gingerly on the makeshift helipad. Passengers wearing identical red life jackets walked in single file on the ice toward the helicopter.
Just hours before Thursday's rescue, Australian maritime authorities had announced natural conditions would cause them to abandon the mission yet again. Illustrating the caution, China's State Oceanic Administration, which runs the Xue Long, posted a statement on its website quoting its captain, Wang Jianzhong, as saying he was working continuously to ensure the icebreaker itself wouldn't get trapped in the thick ice.
In outlining the plan ahead of the flights, authorities said Chinese rescuers would fly 12 passengers at a time initially to the Xue Long, which was waiting 12 nautical miles away from the Russian craft in more open water, and then the Aurora Australis, waiting a further two nautical miles away.
Mr. Turney, a professor of climate change at the University of New South Wales, offered in his Twitter messages a 'huge thanks' to the Chinese and Australian authorities for ensuring all are 'safe and sound.'
The incident has highlighted the dangers of Antarctic travel even during the southern-summer months. Usually at this time of year, international attention on the frozen continent is typically limited to clashes between Japan's research whaling fleet and antiwhaling activists.
'All the world is making a fuss,' some passengers sang in an impromptu New Year's message recorded at a party in a common room on board the Russian ship by a journalist from Britain's Guardian newspaper. The group cheered and clapped to count down the last moments of 2013. Both passengers and crew have spent their time tweeting messages and videos of their experience.
What does the underlined word thwarted mean in the first paragraph？

A．prevent someone from doing sth	B．try one’s best to do sth
C．frighten by something	D．destroy

According to the passage， the vessel trapped trapped in a thick ice is__________.

A．an Australian vessel	B．a Russian vessel
C．a China vessel	D．a Franch vessel

How many crew memembers were trapped in the vessel?

A．22

B．12

C．52

D．24

According to the passage，which of the following statements is true?

A．Because of the thick ice, the vessel rescue attempts failed several times.

B．the Chinese icebreaker, Snow Dragon, transported the people trapped in the vessel home.

C．The 52 were safely rescued by a transport helicopter from a Chinese icebreaker at a time.

D．The Antarctic travel is dangerous even during the southern-summer months.

Where does this text probably come from ?

A．Children’s literature	B．Science fiction
C．An advertisement	D．A news report

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