Anti-whaling ship 'cut in half'

WATCH A YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THE CLASH

Six crew members aboard the anti-whaling stealth ship the Ady Gil were rescued, one with broken ribs, after it and the Japanese whalers' ship the Shonan Maru 2 collided in remote Antarctic waters.

The dangerous escalation in the whale wars has sparked calls for the federal government to send a ship to Antarctica to police the situation.

Vessels have long been ramming each other and using stink bombs and water cannons in the annual battle over whether hundreds of whales should be hunted.

The Ady Gil, a futuristic lightweight vessel engaged by the anti-whaling organisation Sea Shepherd, had its bow sheared off in the incident and is taking on water.

Reports that the ship had sunk do not appear to be accurate.

The Sea Shepherd says the Ady Gil had stopped in the path of the Japanese vessel but was trying to get out of the way when the Japanese went straight for it.

The Japanese say the Ady Gil had been attacking its vessel in the lead-up to the collision.

Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has called for calm.

"It's critical for safety at sea to be the highest priority and for the absolute and utmost restraint to be exercised by all parties in this very remote and inhospitable region," he said.

Mr Garrett said the government had no plans to send a vessel to police the situation but Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson wants the government to send one.

He accused the Japanese of a "hit and run" and said it may not be possible to salvage the $1.5 million Ady Gil.

The Sea Shepherd said it would not abandon its crusade because "the whales are worth more to us than the ships are".

Whaling has been a hot topic with news that the Japanese hired two Australian planes from Australian airports to look for anti-whaling activists.

The Sea Shepherd said one of the flights found its Steve Irwin vessel, enabling the Japanese fleet to trail it for weeks.

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard criticised the flights.

"We do not condone this action by the Japanese government at all," Ms Gillard told reporters.

"We're urgently seeking legal advice about this matter."

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown says the government should send a ship and planes to stop the whalers.

"The lawless Japanese whale killers are doing what they want in Australia's Antarctic Territory waters. The Rudd government threw in the towel at the outset," Senator Brown said.

Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt also called on the government to send a vessel to get evidence of the slaughter of whales, and to rescue people if needed.

Both the opposition and the Greens want laws introduced to ban the use of Australian planes for pro-whaling activities, and have vowed to take action when parliament resumes in February.

Before winning the last federal election, Labor promised to take international legal action to stop Japanese whaling.

No legal action has been taken.

Ms Gillard reiterated the government's line that it was trying the diplomatic route but court action was still possible.

Japan lashed out at the anti-whaling activists, accusing them of "extremely dangerous" behaviour.

Japan's Fisheries Agency said the Ady Gil came abnormally close to the whaling ship and suddenly slowed down while crossing in front of it.

"These acts of sabotage that threaten our country's whaling ships and crew were extremely dangerous," it said in a statement.

"It is totally unforgivable."

An international moratorium on commercial whaling was imposed in 1986 but Japan kills hundreds each year using a loophole that allows "lethal research" on the animals.

Japan makes no secret of the fact that whale meat ends up on dinner tables, and accuses Western nations of not respecting its culture.