Transcript for This day in history: Jan. 2, 2014

Now we move on to take you inside a drama in another frozen part of the globe. The rescue a 52 passengers on a ship trapped for ten days in an ocean of ice in the N Arctic. They are a group of scientists and tourists at ABC's Alex mark court shows us topic got stuck. And how they finally escaped. As the helicopter landed at ten day ordeal came to an end. Relieved that wearied passengers trudged across the ice and were hoisted up onto the roar off strehl as icebreaker to take them home. When the Chinese helicopter first appeared this morning over their stranded ship. It was a sight for sore arise what I. The scientists and Torres got on the chopper in groups of twelve. The fourteen nautical mile trip across the ice. Ship set sale on December 8. Its goal to retrace a 100 year old expedition and report the changes for the past century. But it's Christmas Day dawned they got stock. Winds howled across the deck so strong that passengers couldn't stand up this no blinding. Surprised if by sea ice we just got after. At first only two nautical miles of ice separated them and open water which soon grew to thirteen. Three ice breakers tried to get through but failed. In the end the passengers had just don't the snow to make the landing pad British helicopter rescue. It will now take around two weeks to sail back to Australia. But tonight the passengers are relieved to finally be on their way. Alex Marquardt ABC news London.

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