Buenos Aires  - The Argentine cruise ship Ciudad de Ushuaia, with 122 people on board, called for help Thursday after getting stuck in the ice, suffering a fuel leak and letting in a "minimal" amount of water, the Argentine Navy said in Buenos Aires.

The ship's 89 passengers and a crew of 33 were "in perfect health," Admiral Daniel Alberto Martin told the news television channel C5N.

The problem happened some 300 kilometres south-west of Argentina's Antarctic base, Comodoro Marambio.

The Argentine Navy had sent a ship and an airplane to assist the troubled boat, while a cruise ship that was nearby was approaching it with a view to rescuing passengers.

Martin said the meteorological conditions in the area were "not the best," particularly due to the wind. (dpa)