Anti-whaling ship 'cut in half'

6 Jan 2010, 7:46 pm   -   Source: AAP/AFP/SBS
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The Ady Gil, a high tech stealth boat belonging to anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd has sunk in the Southern Ocean after it was rammed by a Japanese ship.

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A protest ship has been holed in a collision with Japanese whalers on the high seas.

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.

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Stop killing our wales!

Jonti - from Bendigo, 2 years ago

Listen, i don't care how many people disagree with me, i think the japs have the right to fish in there own waters, but not in an australian whale sanctuary!, whats wrong with there waters, why do thery have to enter australian territory? Fair enough they can fish in japanese waters but not in an australian whale sanctuary, they need to learn respect!

i lol'd

James - from Perth, 2 years ago

They deserved it. If you're going to zip around in front of a huge steel whaling vessel in a carbon fibre speed boat and an attempt to antagonise them, this is what happens. The Ady Gil clearly applied forward thrust before impact, and as the smaller and vastly more manoeuvrable of the two, it's it's responsibility to maintain separation. There's no way the whaling ship could have intentionally chased it down. I don't condone whaling, but the Sea Shepherds bring this on themselves.

Go Home Japan!

Imforthewhales - from Palm Beach Sydney, 2 years ago

Japan needs to put its own engines into reverse and get out of Antartica now. They are not wanted in Antartica and have clearly demonstrated just how far they will go to get their own way. They are clearly dangerous... not only to the gentle whales but to Antartica itself and to the (peaceful) people of the world who want to see an end, once and for all, to this depravity.

Aren't we all very hypocritical!

Sean - from Adelaide, 2 years ago

William of Sydney: good luck in your quest of avoiding Japanese products. You better stop drinking and eating your diary products, your alcohol, and your everyday general foods. Why? Because they are more than likely owned by Dairy Farmers, Lion Nathan, or General Foods: all of which are owned by Kirin, a Japanese company. The Sea Shepherd have actually gone as far as sinking Norwegian whaling boats, so now they get their own medicine. The killing of whales is not ideal but nor is any animal.

Japanese boycott

Kim - from Western Australia, 2 years ago

Time to stop kowtowing or buying their stuff. Even stop selling them materials, fish the lot. Make tourist visas unattainable and detain all Japanese vessels caught outside their own waters. They are toxic to the oceans and have to be stopped. Just found out about Sea Shepherd and they rock. They are responsible for most fisheries collapse as well as whale poaching. If the oceans die, so do we.

To Frankly Speaking

Train Driver - from Victoria, 2 years ago

Amazing how you generalise! Ever head of annual leave?

The Japs are Guilty (New Footage)

Barry Cotteral - from Brisbane, 2 years ago

Look at this Angle..... they clearly make a sharp turn to starboard into the Ady Gil http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rar9zxH1kts

hooray

kevin - from Armidale, 2 years ago

My congratulations to the Japanese.
Pity more countries do not have the same attitude towards lawbreakers.
Nobody should tolerate vigilante action and since these ratbags could be pirates for all the Japanese know they are entitled to use force to defend themselves.
It is a pity there was not a lot more of these clowns injured in attempting to interfere with legal operations at sea and I hope the next time will see even more severe injuries for these saboteurs..

Save the whales

Jo - from Byron Bay, 2 years ago

The Japanese should think about what they are actually doing and respect the environment because if they continue killing the whales the may become extinct. And all because of one country's habit.

Fuck the Whales

Patrick - from Brisbane, 2 years ago

The reality is that whales in no way, shape or form provide any benefit to the interntional community.
Whales merely repesent a bottomless hole of resource consuming bullshit.
Millions of dollars each year are wasted on protecting these useless animals.
Indeed, it's a matter of survival of the fittest and I think it's fair time that whales either adapt or roll over and die because I'm sick to death of seeing money squandered on these floating bodies of lard.
THEY BEACH THEMSELVES!

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