Stranded British trawler crew off Antarctica restart engine

A disabled British fishing trawler caught in pack ice for the past 15 days off Antarctica had its engine restarted today and may resume fishing, a crew member said.

The trawler Argos Georgia suffered engine failure on December 23, leaving the disabled ship and its 25-crew members surrounded by pack ice in the Ross Sea.

A US Air Force C-17 Loadmaster dropped an engine piston and casing on to ice near the trawler yesterday during a low-level pass.

The trawler’s engineers have now restarted its main engine, fishing master Shane Jennings said.

Its crew, who included New Zealanders, South Africans, Spaniards and Russians, were left to while away the time watching videos and playing cards during the time it was stuck.