Overview
- The Australian-owned Scenic Eclipse II requested assistance after becoming trapped in pack ice roughly eight nautical miles from McMurdo Sound, according to the Coast Guard.
- USCGC Polar Star made two close passes to break the vessel free, then escorted it about four nautical miles to open water.
- The rescue took place during Operation Deep Freeze 2026 and coincided with Polar Star’s 50th commissioning anniversary.
- Polar Star is the United States’ only active heavy icebreaker and departed Seattle in November for its 29th Antarctic deployment.
- Coast Guard video shows the cutter cutting a navigable path through the Ross Sea toward the immobilized cruise ship, which can carry up to 228 passengers and 176 crew.