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The Aurora Australis broke free of its mooring lines at 3:15pm AEDT today (09:15am Mawson time, 24 February) during a blizzard. The ship remains aground at West Arm in Horseshoe Harbour.
A total of 68 expeditioners and crew are on board, and all remain safe and well.
The ship remains watertight. Crew are closely monitoring the hull from inside the ship, however current blizzard conditions are hampering a full assessment of the ship.
The Australian Antarctic Division is working closely with P&O Maritime Services, owners of the Aurora Australis, to ensure the safety of all passengers and crew as a priority.
When the weather conditions allow, expeditioners will be transferred to Mawson research station. Winds must drop below 55km/h before any transfer takes place and the current blizzard conditions are forecast to ease tomorrow night (Thursday, 25 February).
As a precaution, we are considering mitigation plans in the event of any fuel spill. The ship remains watertight at this time.
Map
A map showing Australia and Antarctica. The map shows the journey of one voyage that has occured in the season, with each route highlighted in a distinct colour.