Pilot meets challenge of Antarctic rescue
On Jan 2, Jia Shuliang, one of China's most experienced helicopter pilots, lifted off in a Kamov Ka-32 from Xuelong, a Chinese icebreaker, in Antarctica to rescue 52 passengers aboard a stranded Russian research vessel that had been trapped since Christmas Eve.
It was a good day to fly - clear skies, warm temperatures, about 2 C - and the 56-year-old pilot and his partner, Liang Gaosheng, headed to the Akademik Shokalskiy, the trapped ship, about 12 km from Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, at about noon. The helicopter had wooden planks and 10 staff on board.
Despite strong winds, Jia, who has been flying helicopter missions for 38 years, calmly piloted the helicopter, knowing one wrong move could mean the difference between life and death. The landing area was an ice sheet about 100 meters long and 80 meters wide to the right of the Russian ship.
