Tanker Reaches Stranded Alaska Town

Our former Cold War enemy to the rescue. A Russian tanker carrying much-needed fuel and other supplies reached the Alaskan town of Nome Saturday night. The Renda had been moored in thick ice when U.S. Coast Guard ice breaker Cutter Healy helped it to reach the stranded town by cutting through 300 miles of ice. The tanker is carrying 1.3 million gallons of petroleum products, and now the crew will begin to connect the piping and check for leaks. A strong November storm prevented the last delivery of fuel via barge, and ice formed over the Bering Sea, which prompted a company in Nome to ask the Renda for help.