South Korea's first icebreaker, the Araon, is set to embark on a rescue mission to help save a Russian boat trapped in the Antarctic, ship operators said Saturday.

The South Korean ship, currently anchored at New Zealand's second-largest city of Christchurch, will set sail later Saturday to head for the 500-ton Russian fishing boat, they said.

The Russian ship is said to be slowly sinking since its hull was punctured in a collision with an iceberg. The ship is carrying 30 crew members.

Officials from the Araon said it will take about eight days to reach the Russian ship, located some 3,000 kilometers from New Zealand, but that the South Korean ship is the closest icebreaker to the ship.

"We may be a little short on time, but the Araon will be able to play a vital role in the rescue mission by paving a way for rescue ships," said the ship's South Korean captain Kim Hyeon-yool.

The Araon was earlier scheduled to depart Monday for South Korea's research base Jang Bo-go in the Antarctic. (Yonhap News)