Chinese ship crashes into iceberg

The Chinese research icebreaker Xue Long, or Snow Dragon, collided with an iceberg in the Amundsen Sea west of Antarctica on Saturday, January 19, 2019. About 226,000 kilograms (250 tonnes) of ice and snow dislodged from the iceberg landed on the deck of the vessel. The mast, bulwark and sides of China’s only icebreaker were damaged, but no injuries were reported. The Snow Dragon was on its 35th expedition to the South Pole continent to facilitate construction of China’s fifth Antarctic station on Enksburg Island. That work, as well as the second phase of construction of China’s Taishan station and environmental monitoring surveys will be placed on hold due to the collision. China is building a second icebreaker, Snow Dragon 2, which is  expected to be put into service later this year.