ANTÁRTICA: Antarctica rescue mission – in pictures

A view from the deck of the Akademik Shokalskiy while it remains completely surrounded by dense pack ice on Christmas Day, a few kilometres from the coast of Antarctica. All photographs: Laurence Topham for the Guardian and Observer

A penguin in the snow

The icebound hull of the Akademik Shokalskiy

Members of the expedition stretch their legs

Members of the expedition take ice samples while awaiting rescue

First sight of Chinese icebreaker Xue Long (translated as Snow Dragon) from the top deck of the Akademik Shokalskiy

The sun rises over Antarctica on Saturday morning

Alok Jha (right) and Robbie Turney hold up a drilled ice core

AAE expediton leader, Greg Mortimer, sends his daily status report to the Australian maritime authorities

A fame-seeking Adélie penguin approaches a camera tripod

Alok Jha ventures on to the ice surrounding the Akademik Shokalskiy

A pair of curious Adélie penguins play on the ice

Laurence Topham edits his latest batch of pictures on board the Akademik Shokalskiy

The Akademik Shokalskiy stranded in ice: a blizzard has halted an Australian icebreaker's bid to reach the ship. The Aurora Australis had to return to open waters about 18 nautical miles from the stranded Akademik Shokalskiy because of poor visibility

The 'media hub' on the top deck of the ship

Laurence Topham's snow-covered 'office' on deck

The Guardian