Explorer passengers head to mainland

British and Irish holidaymakers forced to abandon their cruise liner when it struck ice are expected to be flown to mainland South America.The 24 Britons and four people from Ireland were among 100 passengers forced to use lifeboats when the M/S Explorer hit ice and began taking on water in the Antarctic Ocean.Passengers abandoned the 2,400-tonne Liberian-flagged vessel after a small hole was punched in the hull in the early hours of Friday morning.After enduring temperatures of minus 5C, the passengers and the 54-strong crew were eventually transferred uninjured to Norwegian cruise ship the NordNorge, which had gone to the rescue.The NordNorge transferred the holidaymakers to King George Island, from where they will be flown to the South American mainland, according to a spokesman for the Explorer's owners, Toronto-based G.A.P. Adventures.A Chilean military statement said 84 of those rescued were being housed at Chile's Presidente Eduardo Frei air force base and the other 70 were at a smaller Uruguayan base.The MV Explorer is one of the best-known specialist cruise ships in the world.It pioneered the market for Antarctic tours, which also take in South Atlantic highlights such as the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

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ITN | November 24, 2007

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