Article: Whales Linger Near Freedom; Soviet Icebreaker Makes Final Passes

Rescuers left the fate of two California gray whales to a Soviet icebreaker, the Vladimir Arseniev, tonight in what they said was the last push in a nearly three-week effort to free them from the Arctic ice.

At dusk, the whales were 1,000 feet from open water, and rescue coordinator Ron Morris said "they're so close {to open water}" that after the Arseniev makes its final two or three passes within 10 or 20 yards of them, the whales are expected to swim into open water at last.

Rescuers said tonight that spotters aboard the Arseniev and another Soviet icebreaker, the Admiral Marakov, had seen two seals swimming in open water just beyond the last ice that held the whales.

A bubbling ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!