Russian engineers work to free Arctic-stranded Prince Harry

LONDON, April 8 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian engineers are urgently working
to repair a landing strip on drifting ice in the Arctic Ocean to allow
Prince Harry to be back home in time for military service, British media
reported on Thursday.
The delay was caused by a one-meter crack in the ice on the runaway at
Ice Camp Barneo where an airfield of Russian Polar explorers is located.
An-74 plane which had to take the prince to Spitsbergen could not land as
a result.
The prince, who has been trekking in the Arctic with wounded soldiers,
may be stuck in the frozen conditions for up to 48 hours.
Prince Harry joined the group of wounded servicemen for the first
stage of their 200-mile trek to the North Pole in aid of the charity,
Walking With the Wounded, of which he is patron. The team of six includes
four soldiers who were injured in Afghanistan, two of them amputees. They
are hoping to raise 2 million for the charity.
The St James's Palace said the prince would spend an extra day
trekking before returning to the air strip at Ice Camp Barneo to await the
first available flight.
"We are not expecting things to be delayed any more than 48 hours and
he will be back in time to resume his military training early next week,"
Palace spokesman said.
However if Russian engineers fail to repair the strip they will have
to find a new location for the runway.
Temperature in the area is minus 35 degrees Centigrade.