Some 20 tourists and their guides were stranded on an ice floe off the Baffin Island in Nunavut.  All were airlifted to safety on Wednesday night after waiting much of that day waiting to be rescued, according to Maclean’s.

The tourists were Canadian’s, American’s, an Australian and some from Jordan. They were left helpless when a large slab of ice broke off the shore late Monday night.

Ten whale hunters were also on the floa but were able to get off when their end got close enough to land.

“Arctic Kingdom Expeditions president Graham Dickson said the ice floe probably broke away because of a strong tide and wind. ‘We believe it was caused in part due to the super moon together with very strong winds.'” 

According to Mclean’s Dickson said, “the floe was so large no one in the tour group was ever in any danger. The tourists were properly outfitted for the conditions.

‘It was effectively a floating ice island.'”