PLEASE NOTE: RESENDING SCRIPT WITH CORRECTED INTRO<br/> U.S. Air Force pictures show the plight of the Russian fishing vessel, Sparta, whose hull has been holed in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, on Friday.<br/> Most of the 32 crew have left the ship and are sheltering in lifeboats alongside.<br/> A skeleton crew remains on board to try to save the vessel which was listing at a 13 degree angle.<br/> They're preparing to patch up the hole but that can only happen after the ship's load is lightened to correct the list.<br/> A U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules flew over the area on Friday to check the ship's condition and navigate a route for rescue vessels.<br/> Rescue ships are on the way but will still take several days to reach the Sparta.<br/> A Royal New Zealand Defence Force aircraft was preparing to take off from Christchurch with pumps, pipes and fuel for the stricken ship.<br/> The 30-centimetre hole in the Sparta's hull is suspected to have been caused by hitting ice.
