Famed Catamaran is sinking in the Southern Ocean
Six crewmembers rescued by the Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker
In an unprovoked attack captured on film, the Japanese security ship
Shonan Maru #2 deliberately rammed and caused catastrophic damage to the
Sea Shepherd vessel Ady Gil.
Six crew crewmembers, four from New Zealand, one from Australia and one
from the Netherlands were immediately rescued by the crew of the Sea
Shepherd ship Bob Barker. None of the crew Ady Gil crew were injured.
The Ady Gil is believed to be sinking and chances of salvage are very grim.
According to eyewitness Captain Chuck Swift on the Bob Barker, the attack
happened while the vessels were dead in the water. The Shonan Maru #2
suddenly started up and deliberately rammed the Ady Gil ripping eight feet
of the bow of the vessel completely off. According to Captain Swift, the
vessel does not look like it will be saved.
"The Japanese whalers have now escalated this conflict very violently."
Said Captain Paul Watson. "If they think that our remaining two ships will
retreat from the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary in the face of their
extremism, they will be mistaken. We now have a real whale war on our
hands and we have no intention of retreating."
Captain Paul Watson onboard the Steve Irwin is racing towards the area at
16 knots but still remains some five hundred miles to the north. The Bob
Barker will has temporarily stop the pursuit of the Nisshin Maru to
rescue the crew of the Ady Gil. The Japanese ships refused to acknowledge
the May Day distress of the Ady Gil and used the incident to break away
from the scene of the ramming.
The incident took place at 64 Degrees and 03 Minutes South and 143 Degrees
and 09 Minutes East
Until this morning the Japanese were completely unaware of the existence
of the Bob Barker. This newest addition to the Sea Shepherd fleet left
Mauritius off the coast of Africa on December 18th and was able to advance
along the ice edge from the West as the Japanese were busy worrying about
the advance of the Steve Irwin from the North.
"This is a substantial loss for our organization," said Captain Watson.
"The Ady Gil, the former Earthrace vessel, represents a loss of almost two
million dollars. However the loss of a single whale is of more importance
to us and we will not lose the Ady Gil in vain. This blow simply
strengthens our resolve, it does not weaken our spirit."
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is requesting that the Australian
government send a naval vessel to restore the peace in the waters of the
Australian Antarctic Territory. We have 77 crew from 16 nations on three
vessels, 6 of them were on the Ady Gil. Of these 21 are Australian
citizens. 16 Australians on the Steve Irwin and 5 on the Bob Barker. Sea
Shepherd believes that the Australian government has a responsibility to
protect the lives of Australian citizens working to defend whales from
illegal Japanese whaling activities.
"Australia needs to send a naval vessel down here as soon as possible to
protect both the whales and the Australian citizens working to defend
these whales." Said Steve Irwin Chief Cook Laura Dakin of Canberra. "This
is Australian Antarctic Territorial waters and I see the Japanese whalers
doing whatever they want with impunity down here without a single
Australian government vessel anywhere to be found. Peter Garrett, I have
one question for you. Where the bloody hell are you?"
