Ship On Fire In Antarctica: Chile Rescues 97 Crew From Burning Kai Xin, Chinese Factory Ship

A Chinese fishing ship caught fire off the coast of Antarctica on Wednesday. The 97 crew members on board were rescued by a nearby Norwegian vessel. Another vessel dispatched through Chile's military, mobilized to prevent any environmental damage.

The 97 crew members abandoned the ship, Kai Xin, and went aboard the Juvel that was about 34 miles from Chile's Bernardo O'Higgins research base near the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, Chilean officials said.

The Kai Xin left port in Uruguay with an unknown amount of fuel; therefore Chile's air force was preparing a second flight for Thursday to check on the vessel's condition.

Capt. Juan Marcelo Villegas, maritime governor for Chile's portion of Antarctica, told the Associated Press, "At the moment the weather conditions are pretty favorable. There's little wind and the ocean conditions are good, so, for the moment, there's no imminent risk of sinking."

Chile's Antarctic base could not handle the rescued crew, Villegas said. He said the chief of China's Antarctic base had been notified.