U.S. Coast Guard Heavy Icebreaker Polar Star Arrives in Hobart After Antarctica Operation (File)

The United States Coast Guard heavy icebreaker Polar Star arrived in Hobart, Australia, on the morning of February 15 after completing an ice cutting operation in Antarctica.The ship, which originally sailed from Seattle, plowed a channel through about 15 miles (24 kilometers) of ice about 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) in the McMurdo Sound strait. According to a Coast Guard press release, the Antarctica operation faced multiple logistical challenges, including flooding in the ship’s engine room at a rate of 20 gallons per minute and a gas turbine failure.This file footage from January 13 shows the ship in McMurdo Sound. Credit: US Coast Guard via Storyful