Ice-Stuck Swedish Expedition Vessel at Svalbard is Free Again

Published at: Sep 04 2019 - 10:01 / Updated at: Sep 04 2019 - 10:01

The Swedish expedition vessel MS Malmö, which yesterday got stuck in ice in the Hinlopen Strait, has managed to get loose again and is now attempting to leave the area, according to iTromsø.

The 16 passengers onboard were yesterday evacuated by helicopter and brought to Longyearbyen, while the ship’s crew remained onboard. The coast guard vessel KV Andenes, which holds icebreaker capacity, is currently heading towards MS Malmö.

MS Malmö is following the trail of the polar vessel Quest, which in 1931 was the base ship for a Norwegian-Swedish expedition mapping a.o. Nordaustlandet. The main goal for the 2019 expedition is to arrive at Norway’s easternmost point, Kvitøya [the White Island].