” NEWS
Earthrace
LATEST: The crew of the New Zealand trimaran harassing Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean had to be rescued after their boat was allegedly rammed and sunk by a Japanese ship, anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society says.
The confrontation is thought to have happened early today in the area of Commonwealth Bay off the Adelie Coast of Antarctica.
The former Earthrace boat – now known as the Ady Gil – was captained by Aucklander Pete Bethune and had at least three other New Zealanders and a Dutchman in its crew.
Mr Bethune said before his departure he would not follow previous Sea Shepherd tactics and try to ram Japanese whalers.
Sea Shepherd leader Paul Watson told theage.com.au the Ady Gill had been cut in half by the Japanese whaler acting as a security vessel for the Japanese fleet.
The $1.5 million high-tech vessel’s remains were sinking, but its six-man crew had been rescued and was uninjured, Mr Watson told The Age. He said it was idling in waters near Commonwealth Bay when it was suddenly approached and rammed by the Japanese ship Shonan Maru.
Earlier in the day the fleet was contacted for the first time by the Ady Gil and Sea Shepherd’s third vessel, the Bob Barker.Mr Watson, aboard the society’s bigger, but slower ship Steve Irwin, said he was still 500 nautical miles from the scene.”
This act of piracy by the Japanese is outrageous…I am reminded of the sinking of the “Rainbow Warrior” when NZ did basically nothing …not this time….I have started a forum, blog & group on Intersect
www.intersect.ning.com
www.intersect.ning.com/group/savethewhales
Revelations of Recycled Art 