High winds and poor visibility kept shipwrecked passengers stuck in barracks on bases in Antarctica yesterday, a day after their cruise ship struck ice and sank.

More than 150 passengers and crew escaped unhurt after being evacuated by lifeboat on Friday in calm waters from the ship that hit ice off King George Island in Antarctica. They were transported to Chile's Eduardo Frei base in the Antarctic and were then to be flown to Punta Arenas, Chile. But winds picked up and visibility dropped. Once the weather clears, passengers will be airlifted by a C130 Hercules aircraft.

The spokesman said the passengers - Americans, British, Canadians, Australians, Dutch, Japanese, Argentines and other nationalities - had been given food, shelter and medical attention.

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