A Russian icebreaking ship Monday led an American supply tanker through Antarctic ice to safety, the Russian news service RIA Novosti reported. The Russian icebreaker Krasin, of the Far Eastern Shipping Co., led the U.S. tanker Paul Buck back to the Ross Sea from the U.S. polar research station McMurdo, the main research station of the U.S. National Science Foundation's Antarctic program. On Feb. 2, the Krasin is due to begin leading the U.S. steamer American Tern to the station. The American Tern will deliver 10,000 tons of food, medicines, and research equipment. The Russian government ordered the Krasin to assist the polar station after receiving a request for help from the U.S. government. If the Russian icebreaker had failed to lead the ships to the station, about 1,000 polar explorers would have had to been evacuated, RIA Novosti said. Two U.S. Coastguard icebreakers, the Polar Sea and the Polar Star, traditionally lead ships to and from the McMurdo polar station. However, their capacity is several times smaller than that of the Krasin. The Far Eastern Shipping Company's icebreakers have been involved in about 20 such operations during the last 50 years. The McMurdo permanent research station was founded in 1956. It is one of the oldest and largest research stations in Antarctica. © Copyright 2005 by United Press International

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