The Bahamas-flagged Ocean Nova with 74 passengers and 30 crew members onboard ran aground off Antarctica on Tuesday. The vessel was to try to float off during the high tide, when the passage through ice widens.
"At 13:00 [GMT] on Wednesday a tourist vessel, the Clipper Adventurer, approached the area of the accident," the spokesman said. "The evacuation has already begun."
The evacuated passengers are likely to be taken to the world's southernmost city, Ushuaia in Argentina, but could also be evacuated to the country's Antarctic research base, San Martin, if weather conditions worsen.
The ship's crew includes one Russian and two Ukrainian nationals.
The hull of the 76-meter vessel has not been damaged, and no fuel leak has been reported. Several Argentine and Chilean vessels in vicinity of the stranded ship are ready to assist with the evacuation.
In December last year, 122 people were evacuated from the cruise ship Ushuaia when it ran aground off Antarctica in a similar accident.
