Update: Antarctica: Canada Cruise Ship hits ice and sinks

Passengers aboard a Canadian-owned cruise ship had to be hastily evacuated early Friday morning when their boat struck ice and began to sink.

The Explorer, owned by Toronto-based G.A.P Adventures, was completing an ecological tour of Antarctica when the accident took place.

Susan Hayes, G.A.P Adventures’ vice-president of marketing, said all passengers and crew are safe, thanks to the timely intervention of a neighbouring ship.

“The passengers are absolutely fine,” Hayes said in an interview. “They’re all accounted for, no injuries whatsoever.”

Hayes said the 91 passengers, including 10 Canadians, are currently on board the Nordnorge, a passing vessel that responded to the distress call. The nine crew members are also safely on board.

“They have enough room to accommodate all our passengers, so they may very well continue their journey on the Nordnorge,” Hayes said.

The Explorer’s troubles began when it struck a chunk of ice that tore a whole about the size of a fist in its hull, Hayes said.

She called the evacuation process “calm,” saying pumps were able to deal with incoming water until the Nordnorge arrived on the scene.

Still, Hayes said the ship is in danger of sinking.

“It is listing . . . there is a possibility we may lose the ship,” she said.

Earlier reports from the British coast guard indicated the ship’s demise was imminent.

There were also initial reports from the coast guard that there were 154 people on board the ship at the time of the accident.

G.A.P Adventures is a tour company that provides eco-friendly excursions with an environmental focus.

The Explorer was in the midst of the “Spirit of Shackleton“ tour, a 19-day circuit of Antarctica and the Falkland Islands that allowed passengers to observe penguins, whales, and other forms of local wildlife.