VLADIVOSTOK, November 20 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian icebreaker that had become stuck in the Antarctic ice has finally managed to leave the heavy ice zone, a spokesman for Russia's Far Eastern shipping company said on Friday.

The Kapitan Khlebnikov, with over 100 tourists, scientists and a BBC television crew on board, has been inching its way towards open water - about 5 nautical miles (9 kilometers) away - covering approximately 1.5 nautical miles since Sunday.

"The low tide has started allowing the ship to finally break out from the ice prison," the official said.

The ship had to stop some 100 meters (330 feet) from open water on Wednesday evening, due to unfavorable weather conditions.

The icebreaker is currently located at some 780 nautical miles (over 1,400 kilometers) from the Argentinean port of Ushuaia where the passengers are expected to disembark.

"It is about two-and-a-half days of travel with cruising speed and under good weather conditions," the source said.