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Sea Shepherd vessel sinks after 'collision' with Japanese whaling ship06/01/2010 17:20:29
The Ady Gil has lost 8 feet from its bow, and suffered other damage. Famed Catamaran - Ady Gil - has sunk in the Southern Ocean
Latest - Ady Gil has sunkDespite the Bob Barker crew members working around the clock in an attempt to save the Ady Gil and remove possible environmental hazards, it is now believed that the Ady Gil has sunk.
According to an eyewitness, another Sea Shepherd captain, Captain Chuck Swift on the Bob Barker, the attack happened while the vessels were dead in the water. The Shonan Maru No. 2 surged forward 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 can be saved. "The Japanese whalers have now escalated this conflict very violently," said Captain Paul Watson. "If they think that our remaining two ships, The Bob Barker and the Steve Irwin, 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 now and we have no intention of retreating."
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 approach of the Steve Irwin from the North. The 1,200-ton Norwegian built Antarctic harpoon vessel caught up with the Japanese whaling fleet at 0300 Hours on Wednesday, January 6th, in the area of Commonwealth Bay off the Adelie Coast.
Thanks to a $5,000,000 contribution from American television personality and icon Bob Barker, The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was able to quietly purchase and refit the former Norwegian whaler in Africa. The ice strengthened fast chaser boat quietly departed from Mauritius on December 18th to join up with the Sea Shepherd ships Steve Irwin and Ady Gil in the Southern Ocean.
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Read the comments about this article and leave your own comment
As someone who used to "bob about" on the worlds seas and oceans for a few years on a 42ft sailboat, I'd just like to put in a veiwpoint on the collision between the "Shonan Maru" and the "Aby Gil".
If you look at the collision between the two vessels from both of the videos, you will notice that the "Shona Maru" actually makes a quite obvious move to starboard (Note the heading of the bow of this vessel and the movement of the superstructure) in an attempt to "move toward" a collision, rather than taking evasive action by steering to port and thus avoiding a collision at sea.
Whatever your politics, this fact alone should be proof enough that the "Shona Maru" was committing one of the worst violations which can be committed on the high seas, namely that the skipper was endangering the lives of not only another vessel but also his own crew.
Posted by: Mike Stott | 10 Jan 2010 13:01:42
I am all for balanced reporting and if it is true that a "doctored" version of the Japanese crewman's dialogue was released then no favours are being done for anyone and Sea Shepherd.
However, at sea International law dictates a series of very clear rules to avoid collision. As a last ditch, avoidance action should be taken. The Shonan Maru can be seen clearly turning into the projected path of the Ady Gil who has right of way. The Ady Gil does appear to be stationary in the water and appears to attempt to reverse out of the way. The Shonan Maru has plenty of time to change course but instead turns in towards the Ady Gil and deliberately rams her. Such reckless endangerment of life on the high seas demands nothing short of indictment for the Japanese authorities and the skipper of the Shonan Maru.
I am an experienced and independent sailor and I lay the blame VERY SECURELY on the Japanese vessel. However, provoked reckless endangement of life at sea is a criminal offence and should be treated as such.
Posted by: Nic Slocum | 10 Jan 2010 12:22:04
I'm afraid this report is rather one-sided.
'The Shonan Maru surged forward and deliberately rammed the Ady gil' Is that the same Ady gil that is capable of 50kts? It is probable the Ady gil could accelerate 10-20 times faster then the Japanese whaler. So the above is is a stretch of the imagination too far.
You also fail to point out that Sea Sheperd released a 'doctored' (incriminating) version of the Japanese crewman's voice-over - as has now been verified by independent translators.
You should be aware that most experienced, independent sailors have laid the blame squarely on thre skipper of the Ady gil, then the above report relies almost exclusively on the interpretation by Sea Shepherd.
I do not support whaling, equally I do not believe it condoning reckless stupidity serves conservation in any way
Posted by: Colin | 08 Jan 2010 21:51:53