Cruise Ship Runs Aground in Antarctic

[Paolo]

Note the name of the ship; ironic, isn't it???

(From the BBC)

A cruise ship carrying 122 people has run aground on the Antarctic coast, the Argentine navy has reported.

Admiral Daniel Martin said the Panama-registered ship, the Ushuaia, was leaking fuel and that a "minimal amount of water" was coming in.

He told local TV that none of the passengers had been hurt and the ship was not in danger of sinking.

The navy said another passenger ship in the area was on its way to rescue those on board.

Argentina and Chile are both reported to be sending a rescue mission to the Ushuaia, which is carrying 89 passengers and 33 crew members. Their nationalities were not immediately known.

"The aim is to get the passengers off as soon as possible and this they're going to do with the Atlantic Dream, which will soon be arriving there," said Adm Martin, referring to the vessel making its way to the stricken ship.

The head of the Argentine National Antarctica Directorate, Mariano Memolli, said the ship ran aground in Wilhelmina Bay, a peninsula stretching towards the southern tip of South America.

Ice danger

Tourist travel to Antarctica is believed to have increased five-fold in the last 15 years. During 2006-7, more than 37,000 visited the region, according to figures from the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). Most of those visitors arrived by sea.

The organisation has expressed concern that some vessels are not adequately strengthened for icy seas.

This increases the risk of serious accidents and the risk of an oil spillage if a ship is damaged.

A year ago, 150 people had to be evacuated to lifeboats when their ship hit an iceberg close to the South Shetland Islands in the Antarctic Ocean and started sinking.

The 2,400-tonne M/S Explorer had sustained a hole in its hull and eventually sank. All those on board were picked up by a nearby ship.

[Bagoas (imported)]

So, what does "Ushuaia" mean ? What's ironic about it ? Fortunately, it apparently has enough lifeboats and definitely has effective wireless. A few things have improved since 1912.

[Arab Nights (imported)]

Those hot blooded Argentinians obviously don't recognize a bunch of people chilling out when they see it.

Ushuaia doesn't look Spanish to me. My guess is that it is an indiginous word, but obviously I could be wrong. That happens fairly commonly south of the Rio Grande (indiginous words, not me being wrong which happens on both shores).

[Paolo]

I should have said 'class of ship' - MS Explorer.

I thought it was funny...

[StefanIsMe (imported)]

Hehehehe... I bet Bill had a minor fit when he saw that article.

I have to 'abandon ship' when using its namesake almost daily when I use it for browsing...

[inked4ever (imported)]

Interesting post. I was on a cruise ship that went from Santiago Chile to

Buenes Aires .We went around Cape Horn and stopped at Ushuaia, Argentina. It is a small city that claims to be the most southern city in the world. A lot of antarctic expeditions are outfitted there. It was a very nice place, very friendly people. Their Large billboard at the harbor entrance said

" Ushuaia, the bottom of the world, the start of everything"

[A-1 (imported)]

M/S Explorer...

I heard that originally it was used to import Hereford cattle (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... _large.jpg) to Argentina to breed. Since they only imported bulls to breed with numerous cows...

Yes,

(scroll down)

A little further...

...just a little further...

Yes, the M/S explorer is but...

a large....

BULL SHIP!

[Arab Nights (imported)]

We went around Cape Horn and stopped at Ushuaia, Argentina. It is a small city that claims to be the most southern city in the world. A lot of antarctic expeditions are outfitted there. It was a very nice place, very friendly people. Their Large billboard at the harbor entrance said

" Ushuaia, the bottom of the world, the start of everything"

Thank you. Now that you mention it, I think I have heard of the place. I still bet the name is indigenous. If you care to and have the time, would you either post here or send a message further describing the trip. It is one that at some time in the future I might be interested in. Thanks.

[Arab Nights (imported)]

According to Wikopedia, Ushuaia was the name the native Yamani people had for the area. British settlers adopted the name for their town.

But then, as Home Simpson ominously commented, Wikopedia can be changed.