NEWS STORY: New Year’s Honour
9 January, 2014
New Year’s Honour for BAS Head of Operations John Hall, Head of Operations and Logistics (OPAL) at BAS, was among those named in the New Year’s Honours List. He was …
Archives: News
PRESS RELEASE: Antarctic emperor penguins
8 January, 2014
Antarctic emperor penguins may be adapting to warmer temperatures A new study of four Antarctic emperor penguin colonies suggest that unexpected breeding behaviour may be a sign that the birds …
PRESS RELEASE: Pine Island Glacier and climatic variability
2 January, 2014
Pine Island Glacier sensitive to climatic variability A new study published in Science this month suggests the thinning of Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica is much more susceptible to …
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NEWS STORY: Christmas at the stations
25 December, 2013
Celebrating Christmas in Antarctica Being at the height of the Antarctic Summer the Christmas period was a very busy time at the bases and although it was not as eagerly …
NEWS STORY: Greetings from Antarctica
24 December, 2013
Christmas messages from Antarctic staff Many British Antarctic Survey scientists and support staff will be spending this Christmas thousands of miles from home on the frozen continent. BAS has five …
NEWS STORY: New research on ocean currents
22 December, 2013
New research sheds light on history of polar current Research conducted by a team that included scientists from British Antarctic Survey reveals the ocean current moving around the South Pole …
NEWS STORY: Staff head into deep Antarctica
20 December, 2013
British Antarctic Survey field season is underway On the eve of the centenary year of Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition the ship which bears his name is playing a crucial role …
NEWS STORY: Mapping Antarctica’s last frontier
13 December, 2013
Mapping of remote Antarctic frontier will help model its reaction to climate change and unlock secrets of Earth’s ancient supercontinents. For the first time scientists have begun mapping one of …
NEWS STORY: Design opportunity
13 December, 2013
Architectural design opportunity – British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has advertised an opportunity to design and deliver a new Innovation Centre at its Cambridge offices. The commission …
NEWS STORY: World’s coldest place identified
12 December, 2013
Scientists working at the United States National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) said this week they have identified the coldest place on Earth using satellite observations of surface temperature. …
NEWS STORY: Climate change effects on shellfish
9 December, 2013
BAS takes the lead in ambitious science programme to aid fishing industry and monitor effects of climate change on Europe’s shellfish The supply of shellfish we buy at the supermarket …
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NEWS STORY: Climate records from ice cores
5 December, 2013
New ice core record shows climate variability in West Antarctica A 308-year ice core record provides new data on climate variability in coastal West Antarctica and shows that a clear …
NEWS STORY: Scientists contribute to oral history
3 December, 2013
Voices of Science: a new British Library oral history archive A major oral history project to gather the life stories of British scientists has culminated in the launch of a …
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NEWS STORY: New marine species identified
3 December, 2013
New species recovered from Amundsen Sea More than thirty new, and, as yet unclassified, species of marine life were discovered during a science expedition to the Amundsen Sea off Pine …
NEWS STORY: Marking Antarctica Day
27 November, 2013
Antarctica Day was inaugurated in 2010 to celebrate the 1st December 1959 signature of the Antarctic Treaty, which was adopted “with the interests of science and the progress of all …
NEWS STORY: Earthquakes strike Scotia Sea
18 November, 2013
Series of large earthquakes in Scotia Sea close to South Orkney Islands A series of earthquakes has been detected in the Scotia Sea region close to the British Antarctic Survey’s …
NEWS STORY: “Stripes” hinder ice flow
8 November, 2013
Tiger stripes’ under Antarctic glacier slow the flow Narrow stripes of dirt and rock beneath massive Antarctic glaciers create friction zones that slow the flow of ice toward the sea, …
NEWS STORY: Training places announced
5 November, 2013
NERC invests £100m in environmental science doctoral training The Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, today announced £100 million of new NERC investment in fifteen Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs), …
NEWS STORY: Book prize for Halley doctor
4 November, 2013
Former BAS doctor wins prestigious book prize A GP who wrote a book about his time working as the British Antarctic Survey’s doctor at the Halley V research station has …
NEWS STORY: Fishing limits to be discussed at meeting
23 October, 2013
CCAMLR underway in Hobart The annual gathering of international Antarctic scientists and policy makers is under way at Hobart in Australia. Twenty-five delegations from around the world have arrived in …
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NEWS STORY: Ice Lab exhibition in Manchester
17 October, 2013
Ice Lab: New Architecture and Science in Antarctica 21 October 2013 – 6 January 2014, 11am – 5pm Free entry Museum of Science & Industry, Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester M3 …
NEWS STORY: UK policy document on Arctic
17 October, 2013
New UK report shows that respect for Arctic states, local people and the environment is fundamental to Arctic engagement Today, for the first time, the UK Government has set out …
NEWS STORY: Antarctic experts gather in Australia
16 October, 2013
World’s Antarctic marine experts converge on Hobart Hobart’s annual gathering of international Antarctic scientists and policy makers is underway. Twenty-five flags flying outside the offices of the Commission for the …
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NEWS STORY: Construction award for Halley VI
10 October, 2013
British Antarctic Survey’s Halley Research Station wins British Construction Industry Award 2013 British Antarctic Survey’s Halley Research Station won a prestigious British Construction Industry (BCI) International Award at a ceremony …
Giant channels discovered beneath Antarctic ice shelf
7 October, 2013
Scientists have discovered huge ice channels beneath a floating ice shelf in Antarctica. At 250 metres high, the channels are almost as tall as the Eiffel tower and stretch hundreds …
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NEWS STORY: Award for innovative map
3 October, 2013
Map makers rewarded for stunning recreation of Antarctic without ice A colourful British Antarctic Survey map has won a coveted award. The map, created by the institution’s MAGIC (Mapping and …
NEWS STORY: IPCC climate report published today
27 September, 2013
The Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is published today. The report entitled Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis, presents a synthesis of …
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NEWS STORY: Closing event for Ice Lab in Glasgow
24 September, 2013
Exciting closing event for Ice Lab exhibition, Gallery Two, The Lighthouse, Glasgow Commissioned by the British Council and curated by the Arts Catalyst, Ice Lab: New Architecture and Science in …
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NEWS STORY: Submerged mountains aid ocean mixing
18 September, 2013
Undersea mountains provide crucial piece in climate prediction puzzle A mystery in the ocean near Antarctica has been solved by researchers who have long puzzled over how deep and mid-depth …
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NEWS STORY: Understanding food webs
13 September, 2013
Research on the dynamics of food webs The dynamics of food webs, networks of who-eats-whom interactions, are being highlighted in the August report of International Innovation, an open access European …
NEWS STORY: Ice melt rates measured
13 September, 2013
Antarctic research details ice melt below massive glacier An expedition of international scientists to the far reaches of Antarctica’s remote Pine Island Glacier has yielded exact measurements of an undersea …
PRESS RELEASE: Evidence of life in frozen sediments
10 September, 2013
Life found in the sediments of an Antarctic subglacial lake for the first time Evidence of diverse life forms dating back nearly a hundred thousand years has been found in …
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NEWS STORY: Mission to Pine Island Glacier
9 September, 2013
Ambitious science mission sets off for Antarctica A team of British scientists is making final preparations for an ambitious Antarctic science mission. They aim to discover what’s causing the recent …
NEWS STORY: Halley Research Station at Ice Lab
3 September, 2013
New Architecture and Science in Antarctica 26 Jul – 02 Oct Gallery Two, The Lighthouse, Glasgow Commissioned by the British Council and curated by the Arts Catalyst, Ice Lab: New …
NEWS STORY: More moss growing in Antarctica
29 August, 2013
Moss growth in Antarctica linked to climate change Increases in temperature on the Antarctic Peninsula during the latter part of the 20th century were accompanied by an acceleration in moss …
NEWS STORY: Measuring icequakes
28 August, 2013
Icequakes unlock secrets of icestreams Measuring tiny icequakes is helping British Antarctic Survey scientists investigate ice streams despite the challenging environment they have to work in. The work of Emma …
PRESS RELEASE: Krill risk from warming seas
21 August, 2013
Warming Antarctic seas likely to impact on krill habitats Antarctic krill are usually less than 6 cm in length but their size belies the major role they play in sustaining …
NEWS STORY: Evaluation shows BAS in good light
5 August, 2013
Independent evaluation of British Antarctic Survey research excellence The outcome of an independent evaluation of the research excellence within NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) Research Centres is published today. The …
PRESS RELEASE: Antarctic crabs could be native
3 July, 2013
A new study has cast doubt on the claim that crabs may have disappeared from Antarctica only to return due to warming seas. The theory surfaced two years ago following …
NEWS STORY: Lake Ellsworth project leader honoured
2 July, 2013
Lake Ellsworth project leader awarded international prize Professor Martin Siegert, the principal investigator on the sub-glacial Lake Ellsworth project, has been awarded the 2013 Muse Prize. The award is in …
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NEWS STORY: Midwinter’s Day celebrations
21 June, 2013
Celebrating Midwinter’s Day in Antarctica Staff at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) celebrate Midwinter’s Day today (21 June , 2013). Celebrated as the Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere, …
NEWS STORY: BAS ranked highly by Nature
21 June, 2013
BAS rated highly in research institution rankings NERC’s British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and National Oceanography Centre (NOC) both feature among the world’s top 100 Earth and environmental science institutions, according …
NEWS STORY: Twin Otter at schools day
21 June, 2013
Antarctic Twin Otter features in Duxford Education Day Around 600 schoolchildren from across Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire attended a special STEMNET (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network) Education Day at the …
NEWS STORY: Improving space weather forecasting
9 June, 2013
Space weather forecasting system used by satellite operators Weather forecasting is a tricky enough job on Earth, but doing it for the outer atmosphere and beyond is even more problematic. …
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NEWS STORY: Antarctic Treaty System
30 May, 2013
ATCM XXXVI Press Communique From 20th to 29th May 2013, Belgium hosted the XXXVI Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting and the XVI meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP). The …
NEWS STORY: Children film at BAS
29 May, 2013
Kids present online TV show about British Antarctic Survey School students Dominic and Hanaa visit British Antarctic Survey to find out about climate change – watch their interview with meteorologist …
NEWS STORY: New academic role for expert
22 May, 2013
Honorary Professorship for BAS polar ocean expert Michael Meredith Polar ocean expert, Michael Meredith, has been made an honorary Professor by the University of the Highlands and Islands. The professorship …
NEWS STORY: Halley VI featured in exhibition
22 May, 2013
Halley VI Research Station to feature in Architectural Exhibition A new international touring exhibition illustrating how innovative contemporary architecture is enabling scientists to live and work in one of the …
NEWS STORY: Tributes to ozone hole expert
13 May, 2013
It is with great sadness the British Antarctic Survey reports that Joe Farman died on Saturday 11 May 2013. He was 82. Joseph Charles Farman CBE, together with colleagues Brian …
NEWS STORY: Halley VI awarded new status
7 May, 2013
Halley VI receives environmental science status upgrade The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has announced British Antarctic Survey’s Halley VI research station has attained Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Global station status. …
PRESS RELEASE Age and Antarctic clams
18 April, 2013
Age matters to Antarctic clams A new study of Antarctic clams reveals that age matters when it comes to adapting to the effects of climate change. The research provides new …
NEWS STORY: Storm events link identified
17 April, 2013
Jet stream influences extreme storms A new study of Europe’s extreme storm events reveals that they often occur near the jet stream – the fast flowing air currents that flow …
PRESS RELEASE: Increase in melt rates on Antarctic Peninsula
14 April, 2013
New insight into accelerating summer ice melt on the Antarctic Peninsula A new 1000-year Antarctic Peninsula climate reconstruction shows that summer ice melting has intensified almost ten-fold, and mostly since …
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PRESS RELEASE: Summer melt season extending
28 March, 2013
Summer melt season is getting longer on the Antarctic Peninsula, new data show New research from the Antarctic Peninsula shows that the summer melt season has been getting longer over …
NEWS STORY: BAS’ new Director appointed
21 March, 2013
Professor Jane Francis has been appointed as the new Director of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Chief Executive of the Natural Environment Research Council, Duncan Wingham said, “I am delighted …
NEWS STORY: Royal Society accolade for expert
20 March, 2013
Top scientist receives Royal Society Research Professorship to fund long-term UK research A Royal Society Research Professorship has been awarded to one of British Antarctic Survey’s leading climate scientists Professor …
NEWS STORY: Age no barrier for albatrosses
12 March, 2013
Saving the best for last – wandering albatrosses” last push for successful parenting Romanticised in poetry, the wandering albatross is famed for its enormous wing-span and long life. The bird …
NEWS STORY: Bedmap opens up Antarctica
8 March, 2013
Bedmap2 gives scientists a more detailed view of Antarctica”s landmass Scientists at the British Antarctic Survey have been working with a host of international collaborators to present the most detailed …
NEWS STORY: New post for oceans expert
7 February, 2013
Professor Michael Meredith joins the Scottish Association for Marine Science Eminent Antarctic oceanographer, Professor Michael Meredith this week joined the staff at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) on …
PRESS RELEASE: New research station operational
5 February, 2013
New state-of-the-art Antarctic research station becomes fully operational this month Britain’s latest Antarctic Research Station becomes fully operational this month, signalling a new dawn for 21st Century polar research. Opening …
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NEWS STORY: Dutch research lab opened
28 January, 2013
New Research Laboratory opened at Rothera Research Station A new scientific laboratory has been built at the UK Rothera Research Station in Antarctica as a result of an international collaboration …
NEWS STORY: Greenland ice shows past trends
23 January, 2013
Greenland ice core reveals warm past temperatures British Antarctic Survey scientists have contributed to a new study published in Nature (Thursday 24 January) that provides surprising details on changes in …
PRESS RELEASE: Assessing potential sea level rise
16 January, 2013
New Antarctic geological timeline aids future sea-level predictions Radiocarbon dates of tiny fossilised marine animals found in Antarctica’s seabed sediments offer new clues about the recent rapid ice loss from …
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NEWS STORY: Awards to BAS staff
16 January, 2013
Polar medals awarded to three BAS staff Three British Antarctic Survey staff have been honoured with the Polar Medal. The Queen approved the awards for outstanding achievement and service to …
PRESS RELEASE: Lake drill mission called off
27 December, 2012
Antarctic lake mission called off In the early hours of Christmas Day (Tuesday 25 December 2012) Professor Martin Siegert, Principal Investigator of the Subglacial Lake Ellsworth experiment, confirmed that the …
NEWS STORY: Queen Elizabeth land
18 December, 2012
UK names part of Antarctica in honour of the Queen The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, has announced that the southern part of British Antarctic Territory has been named Queen Elizabeth …
PRESS RELEASE: British team to explore buried lake
12 December, 2012
British team set to access and sample one of the last unexplored environments on Earth This week (12 December) a British team of scientists and engineers, including scientists from British …
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NEWS STORY: Sea level rise calculated
30 November, 2012
British Antarctic Survey researchers part of landmark study to improve projections for future sea level An international team of satellite experts including researchers at British Antarctic Survey has produced the …
NEWS STORY: Celebrating Antarctica Day
27 November, 2012
Antarctica Day was inaugurated in 2010 to celebrate the 1st December 1959 signature of the Antarctic Treaty, which was adopted “with the interests of science and the progress of all …
PRESS RELEASE: Effects of ocean acidification
25 November, 2012
First evidence of ocean acidification affecting live marine creatures in the Southern Ocean The shells of marine snails – known as pteropods – living in the seas around Antarctica are …
NEWS STORY: Agreement signed with Chile
19 November, 2012
British Antarctic Survey and Chilean Antarctic Institute sign agreement to strengthen science cooperation This month Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Secretary, William Hague welcomed a joint commitment to partner …
PRESS RELEASE: Changing winds increasing sea ice cover
11 November, 2012
Why Antarctic sea ice cover has increased under the effects of climate change The first direct evidence that marked changes to Antarctic sea ice drift have occurred over the last …
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Outcome of NERC Council meeting to consider proposal to merge BAS and NOC
2 November, 2012
Statement made this morning by NERC on the proposal to merge BAS and the National Oceanography Centre
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NEWS STORY: Insights into icebergs
29 October, 2012
Scientists discover new mechanism at work breaking-up icebergs An international team of scientists has discovered a previously unknown mechanism by which large tabular icebergs break up out at sea as …
NEWS STORY: Surfaces of glaciers studied
29 October, 2012
The effects of microbial life on glaciers and ice sheets Around 10% of the Earth’s surface is covered by glacial ice (glaciers and ice sheets), some of which melt as …
Antarctic Reception with Neil Carmichael MP at House of Commons
25 October, 2012
On the 23rd October, Neil Carmichael MP hosted an Antarctic Reception at the House of Commons to promote the Antarctic Bill, which has its second reading in Parliament on the …
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PRESS RELEASE: Ice sheet behaviour analysed
17 October, 2012
Ice sheet retreat controlled by the landscape Ice-sheet retreat can halt temporarily during long phases of climate warming, according to scientists. A UK team led by Durham University has found …
NEWS STORY: Consultation on merger proposal
11 September, 2012
NERC consultation on proposal to merge BAS and National Oceanography Centre (NOC) The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is undertaking a consultation exercise on a proposal to merge two of …
PRESS RELEASE: Mission to Antarctic buried lake
7 September, 2012
British team set to embark on ambitious Antarctic mission to penetrate & sample ancient buried lake After 16 years of planning the countdown is on for one of the most …
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NEWS STORY: BAS involved in NASA mission
30 August, 2012
British Antarctic Survey scientists involved in NASA ‘space weather’ mission WASHINGTON — NASA’s Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP), the first twin-spacecraft mission designed to explore the Earth’s radiation belts, launched …
PRESS RELEASE: Antarctica’s climate timeline
22 August, 2012
New climate history adds to understanding of recent Antarctic Peninsula warming Results published this week by a team of polar scientists from Britain, Australia and France adds a new dimension …
NEWS STORY: Ocean sampling at Rothera
20 August, 2012
Ocean sampling: Rothera, Antarctic Peninsula: last but not least! Are the World’s oceans all the same, or are they different? OK at the most basic level, we all know that …
NEWS STORY: HMS Protector open to public
6 August, 2012
Royal Navy’s Antarctic patrol vessel, HMS Protector, pays a four-day visit to Ipswich The Royal Navy’s 5000 tonne Antarctic patrol vessel will sail into Ipswich on Friday (August 10) for …
PRESS RELEASE: Shellfish and changing oceans
5 August, 2012
New study helps predict impact of ocean acidification on shellfish An international study to understand and predict the likely impact of ocean acidification on shellfish and other marine organisms living …
RRS James Clark Ross cruises Arctic waters
3 August, 2012
An international team of scientists from the US, Norway, Germany and Holland are currently on the British Antarctic Survey’s RRS James Clark Ross trying to understand more about the behaviour …
PRESS RELEASE: Ocean role as carbon sink
29 July, 2012
New discovery of how carbon is stored in the Southern Ocean A team of British and Australian scientists has discovered an important method of how carbon is drawn down from …
NEWS STORY: Antarctica celebrates Olympics
25 July, 2012
Rothera Station staff take part in ‘All the Bells’ to celebrate the Olympics Kitchen pots, glasses and a bedpan are just some of the items being used by staff at …
PRESS RELEASE: Secrets of hidden rift valley
25 July, 2012
Hidden rift valley discovered beneath West Antarctica reveals new insight into accelerating ice loss Scientists have discovered a one mile deep rift valley hidden beneath the ice in West Antarctica, …
NEWS STORY: BAS on the BBC
17 July, 2012
Scientists take part in BBC expedition “Operation Iceberg” This summer two British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists head to the Arctic to take part in the BBC expedition ‘Operation Iceberg’. Oceanographers …
NEWS STORY: Antarctic conservation issues
13 July, 2012
Challenges facing the future of Antarctica A century ago, Antarctica was one of Earth’s last frontiers, but now the continent is under threat from human activity. An international team of …
NEWS STORY: Antarctic band reform for one off gig
26 June, 2012
Nunatak reunion at the Sanday Soulka festival on the Orkney Islands Having performed at one of the world’s biggest concerts ‘Live Earth*’ on 7th July 2007, Nunatak** — the British …
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NEWS STORY: Midwinter’s Day in Antarctica
20 June, 2012
Antarctica celebrating Midwinter’s Day A hundred years ago Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his team celebrated Midwinter in Antarctica (known as Midsummer’s Day in the UK) — a tradition that …
NEWS STORY: Merger plans for centres
7 June, 2012
Governing body considers combined management of polar and marine science The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is considering a merger of the scientific and logistics management of marine and polar …
NEWS STORY: Ice games for Diamond Jubilee
4 June, 2012
Jubilee Celebrations in Antarctica Scientists and support staff at the British Antarctic Survey Halley Research Station enjoyed a ‘mad hatters’ teaparty and some outdoor pursuits in Antarctica to celebrate the …
NEWS STORY: Assessing potential sea level rise
10 May, 2012
New studies improve scientists’ understanding of the potential contribution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet to global sea level rise Three peer-reviewed papers in Nature and Nature Geoscience published in recent …
BAS scientists at Lyme Regis Fossil Festival 4-6 May
3 May, 2012
British Antarctic Survey geologists are participating in the ‘Discovering Earth’ Lyme Regis Fossil Festival from 4–6 May in the Dorset town of Lyme Regis. Come along to see for yourself …
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PRESS RELEASE: Breeding habits of albatrosses
30 April, 2012
Antarctic albatross displays shift in breeding habits A new study of the wandering albatross – one of the largest birds on Earth – has shown that some of the birds …
PRESS RELEASE: Ocean currents driving ice loss
25 April, 2012
Warm ocean currents cause majority of ice loss from Antarctica Reporting this week (Thursday 26 April) in the journal Nature, an international team of scientists led by British Antarctic Survey …
BAS ship RRS Ernest Shackleton called to assist Brazilian navy vessel
16 April, 2012
Early on Easter Sunday morning (8th April), British Antarctic Survey ship RRS Ernest Shackleton was alerted to assist a Brazilian navy vessel Ary Rongel from thick pack ice in the …
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