STUCK SHIP ON THE ROCK BEGINS TO FLOAT AGAIN

The Aurora Australis has gone from grounded to floating off Antarctica, though dozens of expeditioners it had been carrying are no longer along for the ride.

The icebreaker -- which two years ago came to the rescue of dozens stranded on a Chinese ship -- itself got stuck Wednesday morning, when it broke from its moorings off Antarctica's Mawson station amid blizzard conditions. 

That set off intensive efforts to rescue the 68 aboard and get the vessel floating again.

On Thursday, the Australian government indicated both would occur "when the conditions ease." [CNN]