Posted on 01/06/2010 9:09:19 AM PST by jazusamo
A conservation group's boat had its bow sheared off and was in danger of sinking as it took on water Wednesday after it was struck by a Japanese whaling ship in the frigid waters of Antarctica, the group said.
The boat's six crew members were safely transferred to another of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's vessels, the newly commissioned Bob Barker. The boat is named for the American game show host who donated $5 million to buy it.
The clash was the most serious in the past several years, during which the Sea Shepherd has sent vessels into far-southern waters to try to harass the Japanese fleet into ceasing its annual whale hunt.
Clashes using hand-thrown stink bombs, ropes meant to tangle propellers and high-tech sound equipment have been common in recent years, and crashes between ships have sometimes occurred.
The society said its vessel Ady Gil a high-tech speedboat that resembles a stealth bomber was hit by the Japanese ship the Shonan Maru near Commonwealth Bay and had about 10 feet (three meters) of its bow knocked off.
Locky Maclean, the first mate of the society's lead ship, said one crewman from New Zealand appeared to have suffered two cracked ribs, but the others were uninjured. The crew members were safely transferred to the group's third vessel, though the Ady Gil's captain remained on board to see what could be salvaged, he said.
"The original prognostic was that it was sinking, but at this point it is flooded with water but it seems to still have a bit of buoyancy," Maclean told The Associated Press by satellite phone from the ship, the Steve Irwin.
The group accused the Japanese ship of deliberately ramming the Ady Gil.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
The video I saw shows the whaling ship veering to starboard (right), then realizing they would run over the hippies boat, veered to port (left)to try and correct their ill considered tactic. This was attempted MURDER on the part of the whalers. Murder is not an acceptable response to someone throwing a stink bomb at your huge ship.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/01/06/18634456.php
Call it what it is! The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is a terrorist organization. It’s founder, Paul Watson, is also on the board of directors of the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club is no longer a conservation organization, it is an enabler for eco-terrorists.
That crew was very lucky to survive. Maybe this will make them think twice but the econuts don’t have much to think with.
Thanks, I have no sympathy for the protesters. This type stuff has been going on too long.
Their goals for the government and society they intend to impose on us is enough to cheer for their demise.
Sympathies with the Japanese on this one.
Too bad for the boat, I liked the innovative design. I guess the lesson is don’t give an expensive, innovative boat to childish lunatics.
These protests have been going on for quite some time and the protesters are terrorists, IMO.
If they want to get out there with whaling ships and do everything they can to cause damage to them the whalers have every right to protect themselves.
The Hippes are nothing but pirates, More power to the whalers they should sink the Sea Sheperd.
You’re exactly right, I couldn’t agree more.
Well, you are not alone.
from your link
To: Charlespg
I’ll put my money down on them running their nifty black kevlar boat into a whaler, and blaming the Japanese for the collision and associated damage. The Earthracer requires tremendous amounts of repairs each year, and has failed to find any sponsors willing to pay the huge costs associated with maintaining the hull.
The real losers, of course, will be whatever fool company is underwriting the insurance on it, who is about to write a very big check.
29 posted on Friday, November 13, 2009 4:53:39 PM by kingu (Party for rent - conservative opinions not required.)
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FREEPERS are Psychic!
To loosely quote from Risky Business, “Never F with another man’s livelihood.”
> It’s a real pity the Japanese left these criminals alive.
In this case, it is the Japanese who are the criminals. They have no business in the Antarctic.
What a shame Bob Barker didn’t buy the Sea Shepherd Society a U-Boat.
This collision was either attempted suicide on the part of the pirates, or self defense on the part of the whalers.
Looks like you are the only one who saw that.
What I saw (in that and other videos) is that the batboat gunned its engines and ran in front of the larger boat. In previous articles, the enviroweenies said they added a ton of kevlar to the front of the boat in order to make it “bulletproof”. Maybe it was bullet proof, but it was not steel hull proof.
Isn't the purpose of a shepherd to preserve a flock so that the animals can eventually be harvested for human use?
The Japanese are the harvesters here.
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
“In this case, it is the Japanese who are the criminals. They have no business in the Antarctic.”
I think their business is whaling. The business of the
so called Sea Shepherds is to interfere with whaling.
If I was in charge, the Sea Shepherds would be so tied up in court in so many countries, they would be bankrupt... if
they had lived long enough to face lawsuits.
The SS are not a judge and jury and warden. They are
interfering outside the law.
That is not to say I support whaling in every instance.
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