Esinye isikhumbuzo sezingozi zokuhamba ngomkhumbi kwenye yezindawo zomhlaba ezingenabuhambi kakhulu sasibekwe emadwaleni asogwini lwase-Antarctica ekuqaleni kwanamuhla.
Esehlakalweni ebesinanela ngokumiswa kwe-MV Ushaia ngoDisemba nyakenye, umkhumbi owakhiwa eDenmark u-Ocean Nova wavaleka endaweni yocwaningo yase-Argentina iSan Martin izolo ebusuku, ulinde ukudedelwa yilolu bhubhane.
Abekho abantu abalimele kabi okubikiwe kuze kube manje kodwa ingozi isivuselele inkulumompikiswano mayelana nokuphepha komkhumbi ohamba ngomkhumbi kanye nokukhula kwezokuvakasha e-Antarctic.
Kwenzeka okufanayo ngokushayisana kwe-MS Nordkapp esikhathini esingangonyaka esidlule, kanye nokucwila kwe-MV Explorer ngoNovemba 2007.
Izinombolo zezivakashi eziya e-Antarctic zikhule kakhulu eminyakeni embalwa edlule, zeqe ngamaphesenti angama-22 phakathi kuka-2006/7 no-2007/8 - zisuka ku-37,552 zaya ku-46,069 - zikhulisa amathuba ezingozi ngokwamanani nje.
Ukushintsha kwesimo sezulu kungase kube esinye isici.
UDkt John Shears, ongumcwaningi weBritish Antarctic Survey, uthe imiphumela yokufudumala kwembulunga yonke ingase ikhuthaze imikhumbi yokuvakasha ukuze ihlole izindawo ebingakwazi ukufinyelela kuzo phambilini.
"Manje lincane kakhulu iqhwa lasolwandle esifundeni kuneminyaka eyi-10 noma engu-15 edlule," esho. “Izindawo ezingazodwa ezengeziwe sezifinyeleleka kalula, futhi imikhumbi yohambo ibilokhu iya eningizimu eNhlonhlweni yase-Antarctic kunangaphambili, ifinyelela ngisho nasezindaweni ezikude.”
Kodwa-ke, uDkt Shears ugcizelele ukuthi udaba oluphambili lwezokuphepha lubandakanya imikhumbi emikhulu, lapho ukuphuma kwabantu abaningi kuzoba umsebenzi onzima kakhulu. Ngokwezinga lokuhamba ngomkhumbi, i-Ocean Nova yayiwumkhumbi omncane wohambo, othwele abagibeli abangama-64 kanye nabasebenzi abangama-41. Imikhumbi emikhulu yokuhamba ngomkhumbi - eminye yayo enabagibeli abangaphezu kuka-3,000 - ithwala iningi labavakashi abavakashela lesi sifunda.
Lokhu kukhathazeka kwabiwe nguFred Griffin, wesikhungo esikhethekile sezokuvakasha, i-The Cruise People.
"Le mikhumbi emikhulu ingena emanzini ase-Antarctic ngaphandle kokwakhelwa ukuhamba eqhweni," esho.
Ngenkathi i-Ocean Nova inomkhumbi oqinisiwe, ama-cruise liners amakhulu avame ukungena emanzini ase-Antarctic ngaphandle kokuvikelwa okufanayo.
UMnu Griffin uphakamise ukuthi abaqhubi abakhulu abaya e-Antarctic kufanele bakhuthazwe ngokuqinile ukuthi bazilolonge ngokuphuma okuphelele, okuthile okuthathwa njengokujwayelekile kumachibi amakhulu aseNyakatho Melika, ngokwesibonelo.
I-International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) izama ukukhuthaza ezokuvakasha eziphephile, ikhipha imihlahlandlela kumalungu ayo ngokuzithandela. Ama-cruise liners amakhulu angamalungu enhlangano, kodwa kunokukhathazeka ngamandla kasoseshini okuba nomthelela ekuziphatheni kwawo. Ngaphandle kukahulumeni wendabuko e-Antarctica, ayikho indlela ecacile yokuphoqelela imithetho engamisa imikhumbi ehamba ngomkhumbi ukuthi ingabuki indawo - nakuba abagibeli abehla ngempela endaweni yase-Antarctic banqunyelwe ku-100 ngomkhumbi ngamunye.
Ngenkathi i-Ocean Nova ingase isuke emanzini anamatshe maduzane, ukukhathazeka ngokuphepha ngokuhamba ngomkhumbi e-Antarctic kuzohlala lapha. Abagibeli nabasebenzi bomkhumbi sebekwazi kahle lokho.
