Vessel arrives to help stricken Russian fishing vessel in Antarctic waters

Help has at last arrived for the stricken Russian fishing vessel the Sparta in Antarctic waters. The New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre said on Monday in a statement that the ice-strengthened polar research vessel Araon had arrived at the site of the Sparta in the Ross Sea. Spokesman Mike Roberts said the vessel was alongside the Sparta at 5 on Monday morning and began transferring fuel. There's a 30-centimeter hole in the side of the Sparta, which has 32 crew on board. Roberts said crew from both ships will try to weld a doubler plate on the external plating of the ship and another plate inside. He said the weather in the area is calm, which will be beneficial for the repairing. The Rescue Coordination Centre launched the rescue mission after the Sparta issued a distress call on Dec. 16 from a position next to the Antarctic ice shelf, in the Ross Sea, about 3704 km southeast of New Zealand.