Stranded passengers hoping on Aussie icebreaker ship to free them from Antarctic ice The MV Akademik Shokalskiy has been trapped in the ice at sea off Antarctica since Christmas Eve. Picture: Andrew Peacock/www.footloosefotography.com/AFP Source: AFP STRANDED passengers onboard a ship wedged in Antarctic sea ice are hours away from knowing if a second rescue attempt will fail like the first one. A group of scientists, explorers and tourists has been stuck on the Russian research ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy, about 1500 nautical miles south of Hobart, for the past five days. 'We're low on beer, but we're OK' Anxiety rises as frozen ship trapped Two icebreakers have already given up on efforts to push through the thick and dangerous ice floes near Antarctica to try to free the trapped research vessel. A third icebreaker, Australia's Aurora Australis, is on its way to the stranded ship and is due to arrive about 11pm (AEDT) on Sunday. It is the last ship in the area that will be able to help. Stranded passengers on board the MV Akademik Shokalskiy are pinning their hopes on Australian icebreaker ship Aurura Australia to free them from their icy trap. If it can't battle through the ice, a second option may be to consider ferrying trapped passengers with a helicopter, said Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) spokeswoman Andrea Hayward-Maher. The locked-in ship, with 74 people on board sent a distress call on Christmas Day after becoming trapped in heavy sea ice. The ship had been undertaking the Spirit of Mawson voyage, which is retracing Sir Douglas Mawson's Antarctic expedition. Two icebreaking ships have already given up on efforts to reach the MV Akademik Shokalskiy, which is trapped in thick Antarctic ice 1,500 nautical miles south of Hobart. Professor Chris Turney of the University of NSW is leading the expedition, consisting of scientists, explorers and enthusiasts undertaking climate research. He has insisted that everyone is in good spirits despite the ordeal during several interviews with international media outlets. "Morale is remarkably high," he told CNN. But a level of anxiety among some passengers is beginning to emerge as they, too, are able to send word home. The Aurora Australis icebreaker is hoping to reach the trapped Russian ship MV Akademik Shokalskiy and its 74 passengers by 11pm AEDT Sunday night: Picture: Australasian Antarctic Expedition/Footloose Fotography, Andrew Peacock/AP Source: AP Retired teacher Kayleen Lawson, of Brisbane, is onboard the stricken vessel after paying thousands to join the expedition as a tourist. "The frustration is not knowing when we're getting out of here, when we're going to go home," Ms Lawson told News Corp during a satellite phone interview. It was meant to be the trip of a lifetime, and it still is ... but it's turning out a little differently to what I expected. She said the ship is now surrounded by ice at least three metres thick. The Aurora icebreaker is rated at being able to push through ice slightly deeper than one metre thick. China's Snow Dragon icebreaker, which came within six-and-a-half nautical miles of the stuck ship before turning back out of safety fears, is standing by in case its helicopter will be needed.