ON BOARD XUELONG SHIP - Xuelong, the Chinese research vessel involved in an Antarctic expedition, crossed the equator and returned to the Northern Hemisphere on Sunday.

The Xuelong, or "Snow Dragon," has so far sailed over 26,000 nautical miles, and is scheduled to anchor at Shanghai port on April 9.

The icebreaker embarked on its expedition on November 5 last year. The journey is the country's 29th scientific expedition to Antarctica.