Rescuers aboard the Chinese ice-breaking ship called Snow Dragon were only a couple miles away from reaching the Russian MV Akademik Shokalskiy ship when they too became stuck in "multi-layered" ice almost seven feet deep, NBC News reported.
The Russian ship, which measures at 233 feet, sent a distress signal on Tuesday morning and was picked up by the Falmouth Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in the United Kingdom, according to NBC.
On Saturday morning in Antarctica Snow Dragon had to stop after becoming trapped in heavy ice on their way to rescue 74 crew members who have been stuck on board the Russian ship since Monday, according to NBC.
Australian Maritime Safety Authority said due to Antarctic conditions, other resources would be used to free both ships, NBC reported.
AMSA's Rescue Coordination Centre in Australia were "considering all options," which may include a third vessel, the Aurora Australis, which is making its way to the area where both ships are stuck, according to NBC.
Chris Turney, who is head of the Australasia Antarctic Expedition told NBC they are in constant communication with Snow Dragon, which told them the ship was facing "multi-layered ice, two-plus meters thick" and were "finding it heavy going" but were pushing through the ice.
"When we first got stuck in the ice, we could see icebergs on the horizon, and that was disconcerting because you can only see 20 percent of them and they move not just in relation to the wind, but what the current is doing under the water," Turney told NBC via satellite phone.
Snow Dragon was supposed to reach the Russian ship on Friday but conditions have delayed their arrival.
"It's a classic misunderstanding, that this environment moves at glacial pace, and it's quite the reverse," Turney said, according to NBC.
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