Ship breakdown adds to adventure in the Antarctic

MONTEVIDEO - The passengers of Antarctic expedition cruise ship MV Plancius got more than they had bargained for. The Plancius experienced mechanical problems causing it to take shelter alongside the jetty of King Edward Point Research Station at the South Atlantic British isle of South Georgia, 850 miles south-east of the Falklands. Plans for continuing an "Atlantic Odyssey" that had started in Ushuia, Argentina were scrubbed. Instead of heading for Cape Verdes, Plancius passengers and crewmembers boarded the MV Ushuia and headed for the port of Montevideo in Uruguay. The Plancius was towed to a repair location. The 114-passenger Plancius was on a 38-day voyage when it lost power. Most of the passengers are from the USA or the Netherlands. The ship was originally built as an oceanographic research vessel for the Royal Dutch Navy and converted for expedition use in 2009.