John Bacon

USA TODAY

A specially equipped plane from the U.S. Antarctic Program will fly to the rescue of 30 researchers trapped at an Australian station on the frozen continent after an icebreaker poised to bring them home ran aground in a blizzard.

By the way, it's summer in Antarctica. The average daily high temperature in February climbs to almost 32 degrees. July's average high is a far less balmy 6 degrees.

The American plane, an LC130, is equipped with skis for ice landings. The plane will scoop up 30 expeditioners from Davis research station, the most southerly of Antarctic stations, and deposit them at an airstrip-equipped station "in the coming days" — presumably when the weather is more agreeable — the Australian Antarctica Division said. From there a more conventional Airbus owned by the Australians can whisk them home.

Another 68 researchers and crew members remain on the grounded Aurora Australia. The Aussies say the people are in good shape and the ship, although a bit battered, will sail when the weather clears.

Passengers rescued from icebound Antarctica ship

U.S. icebreaker to rescue 2 ships in Antarctica

"The capacity of the ship to complete its original voyage remains unknown, however the Australian Antarctic Division has a range of contingency plans in development," the division said in a statement.

Aurora Australis, aground in Horseshoe Harbour, has its own history of rescue. Two years ago, 52 scientists and tourists were retrieved from the stuck Russian research ship Akademik Shokalskiy and sailed to safety aboard the Aurora Australis.

Americans were involved in that rescue, too: The U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Star was called in when the Chinese ship aiding the Russian ship also became mired in the unrelenting ice.