Hercules drops pump to stricken Russian trawler

A New Zealand Air Force Hercules has returned from a rescue mission to a Russian trawler in the Southern Ocean that is holed and taking on water.

Three ships are on the way to help but are still days away.

3 News has obtained the first moving pictures of the stricken ship and rescue operation.

Just 120 metres above the ice shelf which has trapped the trawler, you have just seen the Hercules drop a lifesaving pump.

If they have misjudged it the pump could sink in the water but fortunately it lands on ice just metres away from the ship.