The mighty bear steps in Norwegian hornets nest again. The difference between a canoe and a Norwegian is...sometimes a canoe will tip.
Arctic drama heats up
The captain of a Russian trawler claimed Tuesday that the Norwegian Coast Guard had launched firebombs at his vessel. Two Norwegian inspectors are on board the trawler, which the Coast Guard is trying to arrest because of alleged fishing and environmental violations.
The drama that began in the Barents Sea over the weekend heated up on Tuesday. Four Norwegian coast guard vessels were tracking the trawler Elektron, in an ongoing effort to get it to stop or set course for Tromsø in northern Norway.
The Norwegians have accused the Elektron's crew of violating fishing and pollution regulations in the area. Two Norwegian inspectors were still on board the trawler when it started defying a Norwegian arrest order on Sunday and sailed towards Russia instead of Norway.
The Norwegians were considering firing at the vessel on Monday, but held back. Russian media later reported that the captain was claiming his vessel was under fire.
The reports, however, were denied by Russian border patrol officials. Vladimir Berjochin of the border patrol station in Murmansk said the Norwegians merely fired signal flares, as a way of trying to enforce their message that the trawler should stop. He even noted that the Norwegians had shown restraint in trying to arrest the trawler.
Russian authorities nonetheless sent out a patrol boat to meet the Elektron and escort it into Murmansk. The trawler was located about 200 nautical miles from land but reportedly entered Russian waters mid-morning.
this is too funny, the scandinavians want him for environmental charges????? what did he do, throw a cigarette butt in the ocean? my money is on the russian, ballsy guy, full speed ahead.