SEATTLE — The Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Star has returned to Seattle after helping to resupply McMurdo Station, Antarctica.
The vessel returned Friday to its home port, 108 days after deploying for Operation Deep Freeze.
The Polar Star broke a 12-mile lane through ice up to 10-feet thick, clearing the way for a tanker and cargo ship.
In January, the Polar Star also was dispatched to help two vessels stuck in sea ice, but they broke free on their own.
The 399-foot Polar Star has a crew of 140. The 38-year-old-ship underwent an overhaul that allowed a U.S. icebreaker to support the Antarctic resupply effort for the first time in six years.
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