Big global warming meeting in Canada

[EternalOptimist]

that vessel is not 'quite safe' you fool.

the hull has already been breached, three ice breakers have been called off, and a helicopter evacuation has been called off. Things can move very quickly down there and an evacuation by foot is out of the question

safe my @rse

[pjclarke]

PS The Daily Telegraph thinks you're a troll.

Andrew Neil, climate troll: 'Hey look, there's ice at the South Pole' – Telegraph Blogs

[pjclarke]

the hull has already been breached, three ice breakers have been called off, and a helicopter evacuation has been called off. Things can move very quickly down there and an evacuation by foot is out of the question

So they are in serious trouble and the sane response is concern for their safety, if that's the case then terms like 'comedy', 'hilarious', and 'I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard and so long in years' from your charming chums at the WattsUp link you shared with us are pretty ugly.

But I am sceptical BBC News - Trapped Antarctic passengers 'not worried for our safety'

[EternalOptimist]

Latest news. -They are going to try another helicopter evacuation of the ship

problem is, that chinese helicopter weighs in at 10 tons. too heavy to land on an ice floe, so they will have to try winching
difficult and dangerous in high winds, poor visibility and cold.

[pjclarke]

that chinese helicopter weighs in at 10 tons. too heavy to land on an ice floe

Really? From the press release of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority

In preparation for the rescue, an area for the helicopter to land has been marked on the ice near the MV Akademik Shokalskiy.

The passengers are being taken off, the crew will remain on board. The so-called 'hull breach' seems actually have been some minor damage to plating above the waterline, since repaired.

I hope the incident ends with nobody hurt, and the leader's express wish to continue is granted. I am not going to comment on who is responsible for the vessel becoming stranded, as nobody yet knows, and there is to be an enquiry by the AMSA. The ship was refitted for Polar navigation and was chartered to a tour organisation 'Aurora Expeditions' for scientific and tourist cruises. Presumably the master was an employee of the charter company.

Ships getting trapped in the ice is not uncommon, whether they are carrying climate scientists or no. Those in the 'convinced and concerned' camp are regularly accused of making PR capital out of natural events, yet this misfortune, seems to have brought out the more ugly side of some anti-science bloggers, engaging their conspriratorial side ('was it all a publicity stunt?') and publishing sentiments like:-

Question:

What do you call a ship load of trapped Global Cooling Deniers who are in danger of freezing to death?

Answer:

A good start!

Charming!.

[EternalOptimist]

you dont wish to comment ? but you already have.

'Well, ultimate responsibility for navigation lies with the captain - it is a combined touristic and scientific expedition, so with perfect hindsight he made an error of judgement'


wait for the results of the enquiry before jumping to conclusions

[pjclarke]

The captain bears responsibility, in the same way that a CEO will resign if a company screws up, even if the mistakes were made lower down the chain.

My point was: the usual suspects are finding it 'ironic' and 'hilarious' that a boatload of climate scientists studying Antarctica got themselves stuck in the ice. Whereas the operational decisions that led to the stranding were likely made by the captain and the charter company. I find it unlikely that the theoretical researchers were asked their opinion. We don't know if he was fed poor weather information or if the stranding was inevitable, as I said it is an occupational hazard in those waters, affecting many ships, including a while back, those BBC 'eejits' who made Frozen Planet.

The reaction of Watts, who thinks it possible that the Russian captain deliberately put his vessel at risk as a publicity stunt, is just delusional and ugly.

[EternalOptimist]

wait for the results of the enquiry before jumping to conclusions

[pjclarke]

the current crop of eejits who are trapped in the ice in Antartica are just that, eejits

wait for the results of the enquiry before jumping to conclusions

Take your own advice?

[EternalOptimist]

at least the helicopter is new

after the last one crashed two years ago in bad weather