The Ady Gil, a high-tech speedboat used by anti-whaling activists, has sunk in the icy waters of the Southern Ocean, days after it was torn in half in a collision with whalers.
Captain Paul Watson, of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, said the group had spent all day yeterday trying to salvage the $1.5m craft, but were unable to keep it afloat.
Captain Watson said Japanese whalers remained close by as the crew of the Bob Barker anti-whaling ship worked to remove all oil and fuel from the boat to avoid pollution.
But he said they ignored all of the activists' calls for help.
"The Japanese harpoon vessels stayed close by but offered no assistance at any time," he said.
Distress signals 'ignored'
"They were responsible, they destroyed the vessel and the effort to try and keep it from polluting the ocean, I think, they should have offered some sort of assistance but they didn't.
"They refused to acknowledge any distress signal."
The Ady Gil's six-person crew had to be rescued on Tuesday when the speedboat was ripped in two by the collision with the Shonan Maru. One suffered two broken ribs in the crash.
Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Environment Minister Peter Garrett have called for restraint, urging both sides to respect human life.
But Captain Watson insisted Sea Shepherd members would not restrain themselves from
protecting whales.
Investigation under way
"I think that the governments have shown so much restraint themselves over the years they've done absolutely nothing."
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young told ABC TV the Japanese should be forced to pick up the bill for the Ady Gil.
"Clearly we need the investigation to happen and obviously Deputy Prime Minister (Julia) Gillard has said there will be one," she said.
"But the big problem is that the evidence that this investigation will draw on is simply going to be taken from the Japanese because Australia was not down there.
"The Australian government have simply allowed this incident to happen by virtue of being absent in the entire activities of what's going on."
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