Interesting the Chinese ship MV Xue Long (Snow Dragon) was built in the Ukraine in 1993 it is the only research ship that the Chinese have that is also an icebreaker.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Xue_Long

This thread makes for weird reading now that all the posts have been edited.

For a minute there I thought Sailor Steve was having a stroke

The posts have been edited by the original author and whilst I could reinstate them to their original content I don't see what would be gained.

I'm confident you can read between the lines though....and no, Steve wasn't having a stroke :)

Now the ship is still trapped and the Chinese Snow Dragon is just 12 miles away unable to make progress with nine feet of ice in the way and the ship is down to just two weeks of food left (frozen food I suspect :woot:) for 70 passengers with another ship from Australia due any day now.

Should the rescuers charge for this rescue?

I think many in the United States should be charged the mountain climbers with little experience, the sailors that go out in rough weather etc. or at least pay National Park insurance at the entrance gate.

I disagree unless the persons involved go into their situation via complete negligence and then in the case of a commanded situation the responsibility lies solely with the ones in charge.Again though it would have to just be utter negligence.

the other problem is that few people would be able to pay the actual cost of a typical rescue anyway.

People should help other people in need money should not be an issue when a human life is at hand.The ones that take the risks accept this as part of the job for example the USAF ParaRescue motto is "That others may live".The Us Coast Guard motto "Semper Paratus" (Always Ready).

http://www.uscg.mil/history/faqs/semper_paratus.asp

A rescue operation might not be needed now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25540040

Maritime law says that if there is a ship/boat in trouble and you hear the distress call you gotta respond to it. (Go do what you can without putting yourself in jeopardy.) The Chinese went. I can't see any ulterior motives in this other than possibily making some money.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maritime_law

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distress_calls

Precisely :yep:

If you are going to quote me you would be well advised to match said quote to the actual text I am responding to.

Rescue efforts stopped due to weather.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25546462

That's three attempts now...if the temperature drops further it might be easier to walk to the vessels attempting the rescue :)

Air rescue up next.

'Get to the choppa!'

It's beginning to look like the Chinese rescue ship Xue Long may be stuck and in need of help :doh:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25558276