Soviet Ice Station NP-31; Beaufort Sea, Alaska

Beaufort Sea, Alaska | 1991-Sep-16

Initial Notification: The Soviet Research and Development Institute of the Arctic and Antarctic research Ice Station NP-31 was abandoned after it broke away from pack ice in July 1991, 150 miles northwest of Point Barrow, Alaska. When the island was abandoned, the Soviet researchers left behind 500 drums of diesel oil, 30 drums of aluminum powder, 10 drums of lubricating oil, 4 bags of caustic soda, 600 empty drums with residue from unknown chemicals, and 5 or 6 buildings. Normally, an ice floe would be caught in the Arctic Ocean clockwise gyre and carried back to Russia; however, this station was reported approximately 50 miles from Barrow. USCG district 17.