they seem pretty upbeat. the situation as it stands is like this. the chinese vessel, if you remember, the icebreaker could not actually break the ice, could not go any closer to the stranded vessel. it was about six nautical miles away from the stranded vessel, but the ice was so thick that it really stopped it and didn t enable it to penetrate the ice any further. we had to reverse the lane it had taken and it s now in open sea just sitting there waiting in case this stranded vessel does need help. whilst it waits and whilst the stranded vessel waits, australia is sending over a vessel, its own vessel that s expected to arrive on sunday night to really help them. and the hope is that the australian vessel, which is much bigger and much stronger than the chinese snowbreaker, will be able to break through that ice and really help those passengers on board. so is this within days or are we talking weeks now?
it goes up and it goes down. we just need more up than down until we get this powerback on, guys. ice is bad but everything is relative. you know who knows that? people stuck on a ship in antarctica. it s been going on since the 23rd. an expedition ship with 74 people aboard has spent four days trapped in the ice. someone on board the stranded vessel has sent cnn video showing the reaction when they finally saw a chinese ice breaker approaching the ship. even though it s still hours away, they saw it out on the horizon. cnn s diana magnay has the latest from moscow. diana? reporter: hi, chris. that s right. it s been a very frozen christmas for the 74 people on board this ship, stuck in the ice in frozen antarctica. as you say, help not only on its way but also in eye shot. just hours ago, joy on board the ship, passengers pointing out into the distance as a chinese ice breaker set to rescue them