Anti-whaling ship sliced in half by Japanese

[Guest guest]

From Times Online

 

January 6, 2010

 

Anti-whaling ship sliced in half by Japanese

 

 

Japanese whalers have sliced in half a high-tech anti-whaling

boat in a dramatic escalation of the annual battle between the

whaling fleet and environmental activists

The $1.5 million, 79 foot long 'stealth' boat Ady Gil sank

after the attack in Southern Ocean but its six man cew was rescued

uninjured, said Captain Paul Watson, founder of the radical

environmental group Sea Shepherd.

Captain Watson said the Ady Gil, a light weight vessel that

resembles Batman's spacecraft more than a conventional boat, was

idling in waters near Commonwealth Bay in the Antarctic when it was

suddenly rammed by the Japanese ship Shonan Maru, which was providing

security to Japan's whaling fleet.

" This seriously escalates the whole situation, " said Captain

Watson. Speaking from on board the Steve Irwin mother-ship, which was

500 miles away from the collision, Captain Watson added: " According

to the (Japanese) Institute of Cetacean Research, the Ady Gil's crew

were launching projectiles at the Nisshin Maru and attempted to

entangle its propellers with rope. "

Australia director for Sea Shepherd Jeff Hansen said the Ady

Gil was at a standstill when it was rammed..

" They (the crew) saw the Shonan Maru approaching and tried to

back away but they couldn't get out of the way in time and were

T-boned by the Shonan, " said Mr Hansen.

" The Shonan put a hole in the Ady Gil and the nose has clean

broken off, " he said.

Mr Hansen said the Ady Gil issued a mayday call that was not

answered by the Japanese whaling fleet. The crew were now on the

fleet's third boat, the Bob Barker, he said, but wee unsure if the

Ady Gil could be salvaged..

The Ady Gil, a biodiesel powered trimaran, arrived at the

South Ocean stand-off between Japanese whalers and activists on

Tuesday. It was reported earlier today to be 50 miles away from the

whaling fleet.

The collision came as both sides employed new tactics to

out-wit the other. Recently Captain Watson announced the existence of

a secret third ship in the Sea Shepherd flotilla which he said would

cause maximum disruption.

For their part, the Japanese increased their own security,

adding two security ships to protect their fleet and launching spy

flights from Australian airports to track the protest boats.

Captain Watson, a founder of Greenpeace who broke away to

form his own more radical group is notorious for encouraging his

crews to use increasingly confrontational tactics, many of which are

opposed even by those who denounce Japan's whaling programme.

His boats regularly attempt to entangle the propellors of the

whaling ships and frequently sail small open dinghies between whales

and the harpoon boats in an attempt to foil the whalers.

The resulting confrontations pose a constant risk of injury.

In 2007, the two sides had a collision and called a temporary truce

in an effort to find two Sea Shepherd members who had drifted away in

a small vessel in fog.

Australian Environment Minister Peter Garrett once more urged

restraint on both sides. " The government is relieved to know there's

been no injury according to the reports, " saiad Mr Garrett.

" The point I would make is that the risk of accident is high

and the capacity for rescue in these areas is low and it is

absolutely critical that restraint be prudently exercised by all

parties.

" In relation to this particular matter the government is very

concerned at this collision and has said on number of occasions that

we condemn any dangerous or violent activity in the Southern Ocean,''

he said.

He said the Australian Maritime Safety Authority had not been

asked to respond to the collision and the government was not

immediately considering sending a vessel to monitor the situation.

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]