Famous British polar explorer marooned in Siberian Arctic after helicopter crash

The well known polar adventurer has abandoned an attempt to reach the North Pole partly by boat from remote Golomyanny Island in the Kara Sea. 

The reasons she and Canadian Dongsheng Liu halted their 900 km attempt this year - called Hannah and Dong's North Pole Expedition 2018 - are unclear.

In one of several brief Facebook postings this week, the 44 year old adventurer said that they remained on the island, adding: 'There have been some complication.

'Living here is an adventure though. 

'Huge polar bear around the house last night, looking in the windows.'

In another posting 26 February: 'Our expedition will not proceed this year and we are awaiting an exit opportunity.'

She arrived at the island on Saturday and soon afterwards the helicopter that transported the pair was wrecked in a serious crash on Cape Arctic. 

Four others who earlier had been with the UK explorer were on board and all miraculously survived uninjured.

A crew member from the KrasAvia Mi-8 needed hospital treatment after the helicopter crashed after its tail hit an obstacle as it landed at Cape Arctic.

Its blades were ripped off and there was extensive damage to the Mi-8.

She posted: 'Dong and I were not on board and all six people on board survived and were successfully evacuated.'

Today the authorities in Krasnoyarsk said she has been seeking to get off the island.

Roman Teleshun, from the Krasnoyarsk mayor’s office, said he had received an urgent satellite call from the British explorer from the meteorological station on the remote island.

He said: 'She called from the satellite phone, it worked only from some point where she went out. The connection was, in fact, terrible, barely understood what she was saying.' 

It is not clear where there other four 'tourists' are from, whether they were Russian or foreign, or where they are now.

Ms McKeand has skied more times to the South Pole than anyone in history and formerly held the record for the fastest solo and unsupported ski from the Antarctica coast to the South Pole. 

She said of the crash: 'We are very very relieved that everyone involved is going to be ok.'

The authorities hope to evacuate the pair by helicopter on Thursday.