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Another Japanese whaling boat collides with Sea Shepherd boat
ANOTHER collision has occurred between a Japanese whaling vessel and an anti-whaling Sea Shepherd vessel, this time its latest to enter the fray the Bob Barker.The anti-whaling Sea Shepherd Conservation Society said at 12.09pm today the Yushin Maru 3 intentionally rammed the Bob Barker penetrating its hull and endangering the lives of its crew. No-one was injured. The collision follows a collision between the space age carbon fibre trimaran Ady Gil and the Japanese whaling ship Shonan Maru 2 on January 6. The skipper of the trimaran powerboat Capt Pete Bethune accused the Japanese ship's crew of "attempted murder'' by "deliberately ramming their boat'' into the Ady Gil but the Japanese denied they were at fault saying the Ady Gilturned deliberately in front of them. The Ady Gil has since sunk. Sea Shepherd society said today's "intentional ramming'' occurred about 180 miles off Cape Darnley in the Australian Antarctic Territory. Video of the collision, which is on Sea Shepherd's website appears to show both vessels left taking evasive action until too late. The society said the Bob Barker had been actively blocking the slipway of the Nisshin Maru, the Japanese whaling fleet's factory ship. Four harpoon ships, the Yushin Maru 1, 2 and 3 and Shonan Maru 2 were circling and making near passes to the stern and bow of the Sea Shepherd vessel. "The Bob Barker did not move from its position,'' the society said. "At which point the Yushin Maru 3 internationally rammed the Bob Barker creating a three-foot long and four-inch deep gash in the mid-starboard side of the Sea Shepherd vessel above the waterline. "The Bob Barker continues to block the slipway of the Nisshin Maru preventing the transfer of slaughtered whales and effectively shutting "illegal whaling operations". Ram it again ... "The incident demonstrates a continued escalation of violence by the illegal whalers in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary.'' The skipper of the other Sea Shepherd vessel Captain Paul Watson on the Steve Irwin which is on route to the action said: "Because the whalers got away basicallyscot-free with the outrageous sinking of the Ady Gil they now apparently think they can do whatever they want and they appear to have no qualms about endangering Sea Shepherd crew. "What we really need is for the governments of Australia and New Zealand to step up and start enforcing maritime laws in these waters, or who knows what the whalers will do next. Australian and New Zealand lives are at risk every day in these waters.'' Posted by: john frum 2010-02-06 |
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