Crashed Chinese helicopter salvaged out of sea water

Carrying 140 scientists, technicians and crew, the Xuelong left Shanghai in October for a 173-day trip, the longest in China's Antarctic expedition history.

China's Antarctic exploration ship, Xuelong.(Xinhua File Photo)

The expedition team had successfully erected a new research station at Dome Argus (Dome A), the pole's highest icecap at 4,093meters above sea level.

They left China's Zhongshan Station for home on March 9 and arrived at Shanghai on April 10.

The helicopter flew more than 153 hours during the just-concluded Antarctic expedition. It also had assisted two more scientific expeditions to the Antarctic and North Pole from 2007 to 2008.

Editor:Liu Anqi