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Helicopter Rescue Planned For Stranded Antarctic Ship

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This image taken by passenger Andrew Peacock of www.footloosefotography.com on December 29, 2013 shows a thin fresh coat of snow on the trapped ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy as it waits to be rescued. (Andrew Peacock/AFP/Getty Images)
This image taken by passenger Andrew Peacock of www.footloosefotography.com on December 29, 2013 shows a thin fresh coat of snow on the trapped ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy as it waits to be rescued. (Andrew Peacock/AFP/Getty Images)

A helicopter rescue is planned as soon as Wednesday to rescue passengers on a research ship trapped in the Antarctic ice, Russian officials say.

Those on board the trapped ship spent the day etching out a helicopter landing pad in the ice by the ship.

74 scientists, tourists and crew members have been trapped the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy. All but the crew are expected to be evacuated.

There have already been failed rescue attempts by ice breakers since the ship became lodged there on Christmas Eve.

Here & Now’s Robin Young speaks with Henry Fountain, a science writer for the New York Times, about the rescue operation.

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This segment aired on December 31, 2013.

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