Don't Worry: Local Couple NOT Trapped in Antarctica

George and Norma Trillia, an El Sobrante couple thought to be rescued Thursday from a Russian research vessel trapped in Antarctic ice since Christmas Eve, were never actually on the icebound ship.

The Trillia’s returned to the safety of their West County home Wednesday from a voyage in Antarctic waters — but they traveled by commercial airliner, not in a rescue helicopter like the 52 passengers on the MV Akademik Shokalskiy, who were airlifted to a nearby Chinese icebreaker. 

“I wish we had been on [the icebound boat], what an adventure,” George Trillia said Thursday.

The misunderstanding arose after one of George Trillia’s colleagues saw news reports of the stricken vessel and assumed the Trillia’s were on the same boat. In fact, they were on the other side of the continent aboard the MV Akademik Sergey Vavilov.