A South Korean ice-breaking vessel, has rescued 24 Chinese researchers stranded in Antarctica.
This is the fourth such mission by the Araon in its decade of service.
Cha Sang-mi reports.
The South Korean government sent the Araon on Monday to save 24 Chinese researchers trapped in the South Pole.
The Araon is the first South Korean-built icebreaker.
The Chinese nationals had became stranded near South Korea's Antarctic Research Station Jang Bogo after their own icebreaker crashed into an iceberg and couldn't pull through.
"China's maritime ministry said it seemed like there was no way to evacuate the 24 Chinese researchers working on Inexpressible Island near the Jang Bogo Research Station. They asked for South Korea's Araon to help in their rescue."
After a voyage of three days, the Araon arrived at the site but could not dock since there were no facilities.
Each of the researchers had to be lifted onto the ship by a South Korean helicopter.
The Araon is taking the Chinese delegation to New Zealand's Lyttelton Harbor and is scheduled to arrive on February 4th.
The Araon has been researching the Arctic and the Antarctic since it was commissioned in 2009.
The vessel gained worldwide fame from the four times it's successfully rescued people operations, the first time being the crew of an ice-stricken Russian fishing boat, the Sparta, in 2011.
Cha Sang-mi, Arirang News.
