On 5 August Kapitan Dranitsyn icebreaker of FSUE "Rosmorport" has departed from Murmansk Sea Port for "Severny Polyus – 2015" polar station to deinstall it off a drifting ice-floe.

Intensive melting of ice that started more than a month earlier the seasonal norm has triggered collapse of the ice-floe where the polar station is situated.

Initially, scientists and experts intended to continue with their research till the end of September 2015. However, unexpected distraction of the ice-floe not only makes an obstacle for the research, but also puts safety of the 17 participants of the expedition at stake.

Currently the ice-floe with the station on it is drifting at the latitude of 86 degrees north and longtitude of 8 degrees west. Capabilities of Kapitan Dranitsyn diesel-electrical icebreaker made it possible to place KA-32 EMERCOM helicopter on-board of the vessel. Evacuation program also includes procedures of the ice-floe maintenance.

Dranitsyn icebreaker with the expedition on-board is to enter Murmansk Sea Port in the middle of August 2015. Deinstallation of the station will be attended by the Head of Expeditional centre of the Russian Geographical society Aleksander Orlov, fellows from Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) will be involved as well.