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CNN Live Today

Talk With Russian Scientist Trapped on Ship Off Antarctica

Aired June 26, 2002 - 11:44   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: One-hundred Russian scientists are trapped on a ship in the ice down there off of Antarctica. We understand that there is already one ship, the Goulhas (ph), which is a South African ship, is on it's way to at least try and rescue them or some supplies in. But we also have learned that another ship is also going there. It's an Argentinian ice breaker. That ship now is taking off today to reach these Russians who are trapped there, and it's this right now. It may be hot here in America, but it is the dead of winter in Antarctica.

And Yuri Hromov is on that stuck ship, the Magdalena Oldendorff. And we talked with Yuri last week. Let's check in with him right now and see how he's doing.

Yuri, can you hear me?

YURI HROMOV: Yes, yes.

HARRIS: How are you today?

HROMOV: We are quite well, quite well. We are waiting for help. Now ship Goulhas (ph) reach our district (ph). It is ice and ice. We wait for weather, for weather. When the weather will be good enough for helicopter fly up to our ship, and they start to bring food, food for us.

Can you hear me?

HARRIS: Yes, good, yes, I hear you. I understand that -- last time we talked last week, you said you had lots of food. Is the food holding out still?

HROMOV: Yes, we have food still. We have food for several days. We have food for all our command, crew, and we have food, but we hope that in several days we will begin flying of helicopters, helicopters.

HARRIS: OK, good.

HROMOV: Also we know that ice breaker is starting to form, Argentina ice breaker, and approximately on the 5th of July, it will be somewhere in our district, area big operation will begin.

Do you receive me?

HARRIS: Very good, yes, I receive you.

Now how far away is the South African ship? Is it getting closer to you, or is it stuck itself? Is it moving slowly?

HROMOV: Now it is in the young ice. It is in the young ice ship (ph). But distance is a wash (ph), distance approximately 400, 500 kilometers. Because they don't (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ice to give safety themselves, they say on young ice, thin ice. And when the weather will be better, they will come nearer, come nearer to make distance shorter and begin flying with helicopters.

HARRIS: Very good. Very good.

Yuri, what have you been doing the past five days? Have you just been sitting in your cabin, or have you been working, or what?

HROMOV: Well, we are still working, because we have received some information from satellites. We analyze satellites, information in (UNINTELLIGIBLE), in ice conditions, ice conditions. So we informed all participants of operations with (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and ice information. Do you understand me?

HARRIS: I understand you. One last question, Yuri. Have you talked to your family yet? We talked last weekend, you said you hadn't spoken with them? Have you talked with your family yet?

HROMOV: I know that my family received information from our institute, from our institute we work, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We know that they receive all full information from institute. So I don't worry about this problem. Don't worry.

HARRIS: Very good. Well, we are hoping they are not worrying about you. OK, Yuri Hromov, thank you very much, buddy. You be careful. Yuri, tell everybody on the ship we are watching what happens there, and we are hoping for the very best. And we want to stay in touch with you, and we will call you later to talk again, OK?

HROMOV: Yes, yes, OK, of course. Any time, I will answer your questions here.

HARRIS: Very good. Yuri Hromov, stay warm, buddy.

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