News broke in the early hours of this morning that the Antarctic vessel MS Explorer, owned and operated by GAP Expeditions, hit ice a short distance north of the Antarctic Peninsula, close to the South Shetland Islands towards the end of an Antarctic voyage in the region. As ever, when dealing with an incident in these remote parts of the world the news was initially erratic and unclear, but slowly the details are becoming to settle and the circumstances are beginning to unfold.Latest reports suggest that 91 tourist passengers on holiday in the Antarctic and a number of crew members were evacuated to lifeboats and then to another ship, MS Nordnorge, after MS Explorer hit an iceberg and began to take on water. Listing badly, many believe the MS Explorer to be in danger of sinking, although the operator suggests that she may have stopped taking in water so could yet stabilise. This remains to be seen, however, and much will depend upon the current good weather holding until underwater rescue teams can arrive to consider whether anything can be done.The initial concern is one of safety for the passengers and it is excellent news that all of the crew and travellers on board have been safely transferred to MS Nordnorge. Built to carry over 500 passengers, this ship limits the number of passengers travelling in Antarctica to help minimise their environmental impact and meet the guidelines of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO). I have travelled on this ship several times and having worked alongside Captain Hansen, his crew and his first-class Expedition Team in Antarctica just one year ago, I can honestly say that the rescued passengers are in excellent hands and will be looked after well ahead of their flights from Ushuaia on Monday.Next is the impact upon the environment. I have also worked with MS Explorer for several years now and know the ship well. Built in 1968 and known as the “little red ship”, she was the first vessel to operate Antarctic Cruises and has offered many people voyages of a lifetime to this incredible region. Also a member of IAATO, staff take their operation in Antarctic waters very seriously, doing their best to limit the effects of their visits upon the environment as a part of their day-to-day procedure. What remains to be seen is how badly this incident will harm the sensitive Antarctic environment. MS Explorer is an ice-strengthened vessel, but the severity of this collision may have caused a fatal rupture. If she does discharge fuel there will undoubtedly be an impact, but the amount of long-term damage will partly depend upon the type of marine fuel being used and prevailing winds, currents and climate at the time. I have no doubt that IAATO, local research stations, GAP Adventures and other operators in Antarctica will be anxious to monitor and help control any potential ecological damage. MS Explorer is a small passenger ship reaching the end of her voyage, some distance from land. Let us hope that conditions are favourable and help limit any ill-effects upon the marine life of this pristine region.
The first 75 passengers and 2 staff have flown into Punta Arenas airport in Chile this morning, with the remaining 11 passengers and 66 staff still holding base on King George Island in the Antarctic Ocean. The second flight has been hampered by bad weather from the remote Island. It is reassuring as an avid traveller, how quick and efficient the passengers and crew were rescued in such a remote part of the world.Sadly efforts to save the ship failed, with the MS Explorer sinking at 7pm on Friday 23rd, 75 miles north of the Antarctic Peninsula. As Stuart has said above, it remains to be seen what impact this will now have on the Antarctic environment. Let's hope the experts are able to contain the impact.
Hi Stuart. Has there been any updates on the environmental impact of the Explorer going down - or is this likely to take some years to establish?
Despite articles in the press describing “a long narrow slick stretching 150km”, official reports state that the environmental impact following the sinking of MS Explorer have, so far, been limited.Most of the oil initially released was light marine diesel, which is known to be less harmful than many other fuels and dissipates quickly compared many other types of oil. The fact that the incident took place in deep water in the open sea should also prove favourable in terms of allowing this dispersion to happen before reaching land and having a major impact upon the wildlife there.Since the accident, ice apparently closed in around the slick in the Bransfield Strait, which will have helped contain it, but clean-up officials are said to still be considering installing barriers to help protect the marine habitat. Scientists who have examined the spill site have, so far, reported no damage to birdlife, though it remains unclear whether marine life has been harmed below the ice. The MS Explorer is now believed to rest over 1000km under water and, over time, there will inevitably be seepage of remaining fuel, lube oil, plastics and other pollutants – the long-term impact of this remains to be seen. An official of the Chilean Antarctic Institute (and a delegate to the Environmental Protection Committee of the Antarctic Treaty), has expressed the difficulty of monitoring the remote spill area and to know how much oil is still seeping from the Explorer. IAATO has requested that vessels passing the area monitor, report and collect any marine debris, flotsam or pollution, as well as monitoring Antarctic landing sites for any debris or indication of pollution.Immediately following the incident, Argentina sent a navy vessel to monitor the environmental impact. The country’s environmental secretary, Romina Picolotti, has said that “the environment impact is not serious, but this is an alert about what is happening", in reference to the increasing number of large cruise ships in the area. A statement made by the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) also raises concerns about the increasingly large ships in Antarctica. This incident, they say, “happened to a well-tested, ice-strengthened vessel run by experienced crew that operates fully under current industry guidelines ... involving a capable vessel with just over 150 people aboard”. They believe that the events of last week highlight the risks posed by the “enormous vessels” which have begun to operate in the Antarctic, “some of which carry five or more times that number of people”. Within the last 12 months, the Golden Princess sailed in Antarctic waters with 3,700 people on board (over 20 times more than MS Explorer) making it the largest vessel yet to operate in the Antarctic. According to ASOC, “not only do these vessels carry more fuel, but also the largest ones tend to carry heavy fuel oil, which poses an even greater risk to the marine environment”.The MS Explorer was a well respected ship, operated by a very professional organisation and the whole incident has been handled exceptionally well by all involved. In the first interview with the BBC following the accident, one of the travellers on board commented that "the passengers were enjoying the best experience of their lives". Incredible comments following what happened, but words that demonstrate how Antarctica is a simply magical place and that, despite what has happened, people will continue to visit the great white continent. But the sinking of MS Explorer is a sobering reminder about travel to the wild frontiers of this planet and that these areas still need to be treated with respect. If anyone is keen to travel to Antarctica, it is strongly recommended that they do so with IAATO registered ship operators, who follow strict guidelines for safety and the environment, on board the smaller ships that are ice strengthened and experienced in operating in polar waters.
