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Last Updated: Friday November 23 2007 15:20 GMT

People saved from sinking ship

People in life boats from the MS Explorer. Photo by Michael Nolan/SplashdownDirect / Rex Features

More than 150 people have been rescued from a cruise liner which is sinking after hitting ice off Antarctica.

Hitting the ice left a hole the size of a fist in the M/S Explorer, letting in loads of water near the South Shetland Islands, in the Antarctic Ocean.

The cruise liner was evacuated, with 100 passengers and 54 crew being moved first to lifeboats, then another ship.

A Norwegian cruise ship, called the Nordnorge, that was in the area was diverted to help with the rescue.

Map of area
It's thought the passengers are on their way back to Argentina
The Explorer's captain and chief officer remained on board until everyone had been helped to safety.

Coastguards from nearby Argentina, America and even Falmouth in Cornwall, here in the UK, all got involved in the massive rescue operation.

The firm that owns the sinking ship said all of its passengers, including 23 Britons, were "safe and well".

They're being taken to the port of Ushuaia in southern Argentina, where they started out on their 19-day cruise 12 days ago.

MS EXPLORER
Graphic: MV Explorer
Built: 1969, Finland
Capacity: 100 passengers
Weight: 2,400 tonnes
Crew: 54



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