The MV Explorer is taking on water faster and is now listing at 45° according to the Coast Guard, in Ushuaia, Argentina. A spokesman told BYM News that they have lost radio contact with the vessel, but believe this is only because the captain is too busy with attempts to save his ship and not because she has been abandoned.
The Ushuaia Coast Guard says that the priority is arrangements for getting the MV Explorer’s passengers transported to the Port of Ushaia.

G.A.P Adventures, owner of the expedition ship, the MV Explorer, has confirmed that all 100 passengers and crew who were onboard the M/S Explorer, when it hit ice in the Bransfield Strait, off King George Island, Antarctica earlier today (05.24 GMT, Friday 23 November 2007) are safe and uninjured.

Standard procedures were followed by the crew with passengers calmly evacuated to the ship’s life rafts and have transferred to the NordNorge which is in the area. The majority of the MV Explorer’s crew are also now on the NordNorge.

Onboard the MV Explorer were 2 Argentines, 10 Australians, 2 Belgians, 24 British nationals, 12 Canadians, 1 Chinese national, 3 Danes, 17 Dutch, 1 French, 1 German, 2 from Hong Kong, 4 Irish, 1 Japanese, 4 Swiss, 14 Americans, 1 Colombian and 1 Swede.

The families of those passengers are now being telephoned by G.A.P Adventures to advise them of the safety of their loved ones.

Families who have questions about their relatives and friends should contact G.A.P Adventures on +1 800 465 5600 ext. 101.

The MV Explorer is taking on water, but pump out operations are continuing in an attempt to save the famous 75 metre (246 foot) Little Red Ship. There are now six people on board, working to stabilise the vessel.
A Chilean warship is on scene and co-ordinating the operation to transfer passengers from life rafts to other vessels. The MV Endeavour is also on scene and will soon be joined by coastguard vessels from Ushuaia, in Argentina and the explorer vessel Antarctic Dream.

All passengers are safe and well.