Sections

Coast Guard sends scuba divers under ailing icebreaker in Antarctica-and that’s not all that went wrong

US Coast Guard scuba divers work to repair a leak in the shaft seal of the Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Star, January 2019. US Coast Guard.

by ·

America’s only operational heavy icebreaker, the Polar Star, reached McMurdo Station in Antarctica earlier this week, breaking through ice as thick as 21 feet along the way to clear a path for a cargo vessel to resupply America’s Antarctic operations. This marks the sixth such voyage in as many years for the Polar Star, but the voyage wasn’t without some serious setbacks for the aging ship.

The 150 Coast Guardsmen aboard the Polar Star may have had concerns about their missed paychecks during the voyage, but there was hardly time to lament personal financial concerns amid a number of serious issues plaguing the vessel. At one point, the ship’s 1970s-era electrical system began to smoke, which caused damage to other wiring and one of the ship’s electrical switchboards. Soon, one of the two evaporators used to produce potable water for the crew failed. Then, a leak around the icebreaker’s propeller shaft stopped the ship in its tracks, forcing the vessel to deploy scuba divers to repair the seal as it took on water.

The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star breaks ice in McMurdo Sound near Antarctica on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018. (Courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard)

Problems didn’t stop there. Soon, ship-wide power outages began tormenting the vessel’s crew, forcing them to stop ice-breaking operations and conduct a nine-hour reboot of all systems in hopes it might get the vessel operating again. Things were so difficult that even in the Coast Guard’s own press release, which is notably upbeat about the troubled view, includes a mention that if the Polar Star hadn’t been able to right itself, America would have no means of sending a ship to its aid.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO CONTINUE READING.

Your subscription is important and supports our editorial integrity. Advertisers are sometimes afraid of being associated with controversial news topics, and your subscription is vital to ensuring we can continue to publish the courageous news we are known and respected for.

Get Insider Access and Expert Analysis Today

SUBSCRIBE NOW

or Log In

BECAUSE, FACTS DON’T TAKE SIDES

Your Subscription Supports Honest News Efforts

TRY 4 WEEKS FOR $1.99

Comments

Join our community. To comment on this article please join/login.
Here’s a sample of the comments on this post.

  • Andy T

    Prove the ice caps are receding. Why would Russian and the USA need more ice breakers if the ice caps are receding?

  • CoastieP

    Alex, thank you. My service tends to get overlooked a bit compared to the other services.

  • Andy T

    Alex, your fascination with Ice Breakers and the US short comings compared to the Russian fleet is becoming borderline odd.

  • Joni S

    Holy moly! Do we really send some of America” finest out in dangerous waters with a broken down vessel and expect them to make do? Well it seems so .And it isn’t right. What would happen if they weren’t able to make repairs? They would be abandoned. The CG deserves better. Their families deserve better. We can do better. I know for those in the military of all branches you face shortages, substandard equipment or not enough equipment. You make do with what you have. I appreciate that you do, but you sure shouldn’t have to. You all deserve better.

  • Daniel

    Good point.