Norwegian Boat Halted off Chile After Antarctic Expedition

Norwegian adventurer Jarle Andhoy, who headed an unauthorized expedition to Antarctica earlier this year, was intercepted off Chile upon his return from the icy continent, his spokesman said Monday.

"Armed soldiers are on board the boat," Rune Olsgaard told AFP in Oslo, adding: "Chilean authorities will decide how to proceed in this case this afternoon, Chilean time, at the earliest."

After slipping away from New Zealand authorities who wanted to block him from returning to the Ross Sea, Andhoey and four other men headed back towards Antarctica in late January without authorization to discover the fate of comrades who were lost in a first unauthorized expedition headed by Andhoey last year.

The Norwegian led a five-man expedition to Antarctica in February 2011, in which he and another member attempted to reach the South Pole on quad bikes as the remaining three waited for them aboard their sailboat Beserk.

But the vessel disappeared when a fierce storm packing winds of 180 kilometers per hour (110 miles per hour) battered the Ross Sea and the three on board were never found despite an extensive search coordinated from New Zealand.

After the first expedition, Andhoey, who was airlifted unharmed from Antarctic along with his companion, rejected criticism of the way he had conducted the mission, which was not authorized by Norwegian authorities.

According to Olsgaard, the new expedition was intercepted off Chile as it returned from Antarctica due to a misunderstanding with Wellington concerning a New Zealand national traveling onboard, Busby Nobel.

According to New Zealand media, Nobel had been onboard the yacht in an Auckland port and had become part of the expedition against his will when Andhoey took off at full speed to skirt authorities.