Extreme weather conditions forced two U.S. explorers to abandon what would have been the first summertime crossing of the Arctic Ocean, environmental group Greenpeace said on Friday. A spokeswoman for Greenpeace said Eric Larsen and Lonnie Dupre were tired but in good condition after 23 days of their voyage. The two Minnesota men were evacuated by a civilian helicopter on Friday. They were attempting the 1,250-mile (2,000 km) journey by canoe and skis from Cape Arctichesky in Siberia across the North Pole to Ellesmere Island in Canada. A statement from Greenpeace said the pair encountered unusual heavy snow and ice conditions, as well as some aggressive polar bears.
Dupre and Larsen were attempting the crossing to call attention to global warming.
