Japanese ship sinks whale protest boat Ady Gil – The Age — Another salvo in the war on the yearly Japanese ‘scientific research’ whale cull. The link contains some video. Another video report here.
UPDATE : This video more clearly shows the Japanese ship closing on the Ady Gil. It was shot from another SS vessel.
The high-tech stealth boat Ady Gil was cut in half and sunk by a Japanese security vessel in Antarctic waters today, dramatically upping the stakes in the annual struggle between whalers and protesters.
Sea Shepherd group leader Paul Watson told Fairfax Media the $1.5 million Ady Gil was sinking, but its six-man crew had been rescued and was uninjured.
Earlier today, the fleet was contacted for the first time by the Ady Gil and Sea Shepherd’s “secret” third vessel, the Bob Barker.
Captain Watson, aboard the Steve Irwin, said he was still 500 nautical miles from the scene.
“This seriously escalates the whole situation,” Captain Watson said of the collision.
The ICR said the Ady Gil came “within collision distance” directly in front of the Nisshin Maru bow and repeatedly deployed a rope from its stern “to entangle the Japanese vessel’s rudder and propeller”.
The statement accused the activists of shining a laser device at the Nisshin Maru crew and launching acid-filled projectiles, one of which landed on the vessel’s deck.
# 90 EricD
Yes, Australian Antarctic Territory (waters) which are not recognised by Japan (or most of the world).
Tangentially, yes whales migrate up the east coast of Australia (southern right whale / humpback / killer etc. whales are sometimes seen in Sydney Harbour) and come to Victor Harbour in South Australia (and various other places) every year often with babies. You can watch them breaching from the shore. It is magnificent. I do not know if the Japanese are targeting those species or not but certainly not in the territorial waters of mainland Australia.