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CNN Live Today

Interview with Yuri Hromov

Aired June 28, 2002 - 11:21   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everyone. A daring and dangerous rescue mission is underway at the bottom of the world.

Helicopters yesterday plucked 21 scientists from a ship trapped in the ice off Antarctica, and the rescue mission is continuing today. We have been getting updates from one of the stranded Russian scientists, Yuri Hromov. He, however, was not one of the scientists rescued. He is still on the ship, and he joins us now on the telephone. Yuri, I know that you are nonetheless glad to see those helicopters come yesterday, because they were able to bring you some food -- Yuri.

YURI HROMOV, STRANDED SCIENTIST: Yes?

CALLAWAY: Yuri, you are live on CNN. Tell me, how -- how did you feel yesterday when the helicopters arrived, and were able to rescue...

HROMOV: Yes, yes. Yes, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Yesterday, we began the preparation, preparation (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and now it's situated in ice, in ice. Distance is about 350 kilometers, 350 kilometers. Yesterday we begun -- helicopter cruises. Yesterday we have two flights, two helicopter cruises, and 21 person were recovered (ph) yesterday, and today we have fulfilled four, four cruises of helicopter. They brought us food, food, fresh food, and they recreated (ph) 47 persons of institution, and two members of the crew.

So, now we have on board only 11, 11 members of the expedition, Russian expedition, and the crew -- rest crew of the ship. Yes. So we received food, and we are waiting for a cyclone -- cyclone. Weather will be bad. So then we will, after the cyclone, when weather will be good again, so maybe we continue some preparations, of course. So you understand our situation? What are your questions?

CALLAWAY: Yes, I -- we certainly do understand your situation, Yuri. We are so glad that the helicopters were able to bring you some food and were able to rescue some of your colleagues. You said there are 11 members left. When do you expect to be rescued off the ship?

HROMOV: Sorry, didn't understand you.

CALLAWAY: When do you expect to be rescued? HROMOV: We expect -- expecting the come of ice breaker -- ice breaker, and of course, we will wait -- we will wait in ice until ice breaker will come, and it will come.

So if it is possible (ph), we continue -- continue our helicopter rides if it is possible, but when weather again will be good. Now -- now, we -- two days, during two days we have good weather -- have good weather, but tomorrow we are waiting for bad weather. That will gust (ph) during about two, three days. Understand me?

CALLAWAY: All right, Yuri Hromov, good luck to you. We are so glad that they were able to bring some help to you. We hope you are off that ship very soon. Obviously, there is a long delay in our conversation with Yuri, not to mention a few language problems, but as he just said, helicopters have been able to now to get to the ship. They have been able to rescue most of the scientists there. There are still 11 members on that ship. They are, however, now receiving some food.

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