Chinese Antarctic vessel Xue Long (C) from the bridge of the Aurora Australis ship off Antarctica, both in the frozen waters to help rescue a nearby Russian research ship (not pictured) - AFP/File photo Sydney: A Chinese icebreaker that went to the aid of a Russian ship stuck in heavy floes in Antarctica has now itself become trapped by ice, officials said on Saturday, amid anger about the impact of the rescue on research.
The Xue Long, which on Thursday used its helicopter to ferry dozens of passengers on the stranded Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy to the safety of an Australian vessel, has been unable to free itself.
"Xue Long has confirmed to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority it is beset by ice," the authority said in a statement.
The Xue Long, or Snow Dragon, came tantalisingly close to cutting through heavy ice to reach the Shokalskiy a week ago but had to abandon its attempt once it realised it could not break through. It has hardly moved in recent days.
Chinese news agency Xinhua, which has reporters onboard the Xue Long, said the ship's passage had been blocked since Friday by a drifting, one-kilometre long iceberg.
Captain Wang Jianzhong said the constantly changing position of the massive iceberg, which sometimes came as close as 1.2 nautical miles to the ship, and ice floes was making conditions complex, Xinhua reported.
The Chinese vessel will only attempt to free itself after this huge block of ice moves away, with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urging the ship's team to stay calm as they wait for the best moment to act.
Australian authorities said the master of the Chinese ship had confirmed that the vessel was safe, was not in immediate distress and did not require assistance. The ship has food supplies for several weeks.
The Shokalskiy remains stuck in ice 100 nautical miles from the French Antarctic base of Dumont d'Urville with 22 crew on board. Several attempts by icebreakers to reach the Russian ship failed, including by the Australian Antarctic supply ship the Aurora Australis, while poor weather initially delayed helicopter rescue plans.
The 22 scientists, 26 paying passengers and four journalists on board the Shokalskiy who were helicoptered off the ship are now on the Aurora Australis, which had been standing by to help the Xue Long.
However, AMSA on Saturday released the Aurora Australis to continue its journey to Australia's Antarctic base Casey, where it is due to deliver supplies before heading to the Australian city of Hobart.
"The masters of both Akademik Shokalskiy and Xue Long agree that further assistance from Aurora Australis is no longer required and they will be able to provide mutual support to each other," AMSA said.
Australian authorities have said that any inquiry into how the Shokalskiy came to be stranded would have to be conducted by Russian authorities but have acknowledged that the incident could impact guidelines for polar expeditions.
Russian research ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy was in Antarctic ice, 1,500 nautical miles south of Hobart, Australia, since Christmas Eve. The Australian authorities expressed relief after 52 passengers were safely evacuated by helicopter the stranded ship. Seen here - Trapped passengers on the icebound Russian research ship are rescued by a Chinese helicopter.
Officials tasked with freeing the scientific expedition on the Akademik Shokalskiy succeeded in flying them out on Thursday in an on-off rescue operation. Seen here - Passengers from the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy trapped in the ice 1,500 nautical miles south of Hobart, Australia, walk around the ice. A helicopter from Chinese icebreaker Xue Long used a makeshift landing pad next to the marooned ship and ferried the scientists, tourists and journalists to an Australian government supply vessel, the Aurora Australis after three icebreakers failed to reach the paralyzed vessel. Seen here - Passengers from the trapped Russian vessel are preparing to board the Chinese helicopter Xueying 12 in the Antarctic.But it emerged later on Thursday that the Chinese ship, which has not moved much for several days, may itself be trapped by thick ice.Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the Chinese ship would attempt to manoeuvre through the ice when tidal conditions are most suitable, adding there was no immediate danger to those onboard. Seen here - Ben Maddison and Ben Fisk from the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy work to place a wind indicator atop an ice feature near the trapped ship.The rescue mission has been beset by extreme conditions from the start, with the Xue Long and Aurora Australis both unable to break through the ice to free to stranded Russian ship, despite several attempts. Seen here - Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy is trapped in thick Antarctic ice.Rain, snow and wind had also delayed the helicopter flights to the vessel ice-bound 100 nautical miles east of the French base Dumont d'Urville. Seen here - Passengers from the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy link arms and stamp out a helicopter landing site on the ice near the trapped ship'The protracted nature of operations in Antarctica and the difficulty of getting good weather windows, and getting the right ice conditions, really make life very difficult' said John Young, general manager of the AMSA. The Australian authorities have raised concern for the Chinese rescue vessel Xue Long caught in heavy ice. Passengers on the stranded Russia ship were transferred to the Aurora Australis, the Australian Antarctic Division's supply ship and had been heading slowly to Casey station. Seen here - People gather on the ice next the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy that is trapped in thick Antarctic ice.Passengers trapped for more than a week on the icebound Russian research ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy are rescued by a Chinese helicopter on Thursday.The first group of passengers who were aboard the trapped Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy arrive at a safe surface off the Antarctic.The passengers were transferred, using the Chinese icebreaker Xue Long's helicopter, from the Russian ship to an ice floe near the Aurora Australis over four flights across about 14 nautical miles on Thursday.Barbara Tucker, a passenger aboard the stranded ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy, watches as an adelie penguin passes by, off east Antarctica, on December 29, 2013.Passengers on the Akademik Shokalskiy posing before the trapped ship in heavy sea ice. 
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