Update: Feb. 18 & 19

M/V Ocean Nova

The ice-strengthened expedition ship M/V Ocean Nova, owned by Quark Expeditions, ran aground on Tuesday in Marguerite Bay, Antarctica, about 900 miles south of the tip of South America. No damage to the ship has been reported and all 65 passengers and 41 crew members appear to be safe and unharmed.

The ship was on it’s eighth day of a two-week cruise, exploring the Antarctic peninsula. The captain is hoping that high tide on Wednesday will dislodge the ship. The ship did not dislodge during high tide on Tuesday.

The Chilean and Argentine navy have dispatched the Spanish-flagged ship Hesperides and another vessel, the Clipper Adventure, to co-ordinate retrieval of the passengers.

Passengers of the M/V Ocean Nova have been safely transferred to the Clipper Adventurer. The Clipper Adventure is on its way returning to Ushuaia, Argentina.

The Ocean Nova was refloated yesterday after a third attempt. The ship will return to Ushuaia, Argentina’s southernmost city, where the 15-day voyage started. There, the ship will undergo a detailed inspection, looking for damage.

The ship originally ran aground when winds were high and pushed the ship into the rocky coast.