Canberra: An Australian icebreaker carrying 52 passengers who were retrieved from an icebound ship in the Antarctic was told to halt its journey home today after concerns that a Chinese vessel involved in the dramatic rescue may also become stuck in the heavy sea ice.
The icebreaker Aurora Australis had been slowly cracking through thick ice toward open water after a Chinese helicopter yesterday plucked the passengers from their stranded Russian research ship and carried them to the Aurora.
But this afternoon, the crew of a Chinese icebreaker that had provided the helicopter said they were worried about their own ship's ability to move through the ice.
The Aurora which was carrying the passengers to the Australian island state of Tasmania was told to stay in the area in case the Chinese icebreaker Snow Dragon needs help, according to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority's Rescue Coordination Centre, which oversaw the rescue.
The Snow Dragon, which is at the edge of the ice pack surrounding the Russian vessel, will attempt to push through the ice to open water early Saturday, when tidal conditions are most favourable.
The Aurora is waiting around 11 kilometres north of the Snow Dragon, said Lisa Martin, spokeswoman for the marine authority.
Authorities have not said what the next step would be if the Snow Dragon became stuck, but it is possible that the Aurora will utilise its icebreaking capabilities to assist the Chinese vessel.
The maritime authority said the decision to place the Aurora on standby was a precaution and noted there was no danger to anyone on board the Snow Dragon.
But it was yet another wrinkle in the highly complex rescue operation of those on board the Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy, which got stuck in the ice on Christmas Eve.
A spot of clear weather yesterday finally allowed the multinational rescue operation after blinding snow, strong winds and thick sea ice forced rescuers to turn back time and again.
The twin-rotor helicopter, which is based on the Snow Dragon, took seven hours to carry the scientists and tourists in groups of 12 from the Russian ship to the Aurora.
Earlier, the passengers had linked arms and stomped out a landing site in the snow next to the Russian ship for the helicopter.
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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