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Ghost ship baffles police
CNN ASIA | 1.14.03

Posted on 01/14/2003 10:10:00 AM PST by Enemy Of The State

Ghost ship baffles police

Tuesday, January 14, 2003 Posted: 3:54 PM HKT (0754 GMT)

CANBERRA, Australia (Reuters) -- Australian police said on Tuesday they were baffled by the discovery of a ghost ship full of rotting fish -- but no crew or life rafts -- drifting off the remote northwest coast of Australia.

The 20-meter (65-ft) High Aim 6, registered in Taiwan and flying an Indonesian flag, was intercepted and boarded by the Australian navy last week about 300 km (185 miles) west of the fishing port of Broome after it was spotted drifting aimlessly.

A massive search in the area has turned up no survivors, life rafts or clues, but the presence of up to three tons of rotting mackerel and tuna in the hold has convinced police the boat was used by fisherman, not people smugglers.

"There weren't any indications on board that anything untoward had happened. The conditions on board were quite good," said a spokeswoman for the Australian Federal Police in Perth.

She said the long-line fishing boat, which would have a crew of around 12, appeared well-equipped and seaworthy.

The weather in the area has been calm for weeks.

Police have launched an international investigation in a bid to track down the owners or crew of the boat.

"The only factor we have to work with at the moment is the fact that it is Taiwanese-owned, so we'll be going to the owners to try to learn a little bit more about the crew and a little bit more about the history of the vessel's passage to this point," the police spokeswoman said.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News
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To: The Duke
Wow. He's a lucky man. Thanks for the neat fish tale...
21 posted on 01/14/2003 12:31:19 PM PST by fivecatsandadog
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To: The Turbanator
"The Fog" (American version) was really a good, spooky movie (I thought).
22 posted on 01/14/2003 12:53:43 PM PST by NewHampshireDuo
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To: Enemy Of The State
I'm sure that I've seen several "B" movies that started this way. Maybe this is just a promotion for "The Fish That Stank Up Australia".
23 posted on 01/14/2003 12:58:56 PM PST by FreePaul
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To: Enemy Of The State
Sounds to me like smugglers pirated the ship and made the crew abandon it, used the innocent-looking ship to make a run with whatever they were smuggling, then abandoned it at sea.

My brother-in-law (an RCMP cop, of all things) had this happen to his pickup truck several years ago. He lives near the Canada-US border (on the Canadian side), and not long after his truck was stolen, it was found abandoned not far beyond the border on the US side. He said that smugglers often do this so they'll be in an untraceable vehicle, which is also "fresh" (hasn't shuttled over the border 10 times a month which would raise suspicions).

24 posted on 01/14/2003 2:10:06 PM PST by Dan Day
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To: NewHampshireDuo
I thought it was spooky too!
25 posted on 01/14/2003 2:57:26 PM PST by ruoflaw
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To: Enemy Of The State
Giant Squid Attacks Boat!
26 posted on 01/14/2003 3:20:04 PM PST by MedicalMess
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To: NewHampshireDuo
"The Fog" (American version) was really a good, spooky movie (I thought).

It would have been much better if we never saw the face of the fog guy.

What I was imagining was worse than anything they could have done in a studio. And much much worse than the cheesy cooked spinach and earthworms they ended up using...

27 posted on 01/14/2003 3:32:19 PM PST by null and void (IMHO...)
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To: new cruelty
It was the salmon mousse!

But wait, I didn't have the mousse!

Wasn't it salmon loaf? or do I misremeber?

28 posted on 01/14/2003 3:34:06 PM PST by null and void (It could happen...)
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To: mitchbert
Affirmative. It was flying an "Indonesian" flag (home to many Peace(tm) practicioners) but registered in Taiwan (something fishy about that and it aint mackeral).
29 posted on 01/14/2003 4:55:16 PM PST by thedugal
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To: null and void
DEBBIE
Can I ask you a question?

GRIM REAPER
What?

DEBBIE
... How can we all have died at the *same* time?

GRIM REAPER
[pointing] The salmon mousse! [They all goggle.]

GEOFFREY
[to Angela] Darling, you didn't use tinned salmon did you?

ANGELA
[unbelievably embarrassed] I'm most dreadfully embarrassed...

GRIM REAPER
Now, the time has come. Follow... follow me...
[Geoffrey suddenly runs forward with a revolver. He looses four shots
at the Grim Reaper from about three feet. They pass through
him. Pause. Everyone is rather embarrassed.]

GEOFFREY
Sorry... Just... testing... Sorry... [He sits.]

GRIM REAPER
Come! [Out of their bodies, spirit forms arise and follow the Grim
Reaper.]

ANGELA
The fishmonger promised me he'd have some fresh salmon and he's
normally *so* reliable...

JEREMY
Can we bring our glasses?

FIONA
Good idea.

DEBBIE
Hey I didn't even eat the mousse... [They follow the Grim Reaper out
of the house.]

ANGELA
Honestly, darling, I'm so embarrassed... I mean to serve salmon with
botulism at a dinner party is social death...

JEREMY
Shall we take our cars?

GEOFFREY
Why not?
[Slightly to the Grim Reaper's surprise, they follow him up to heaven
in a Porsche, a Jensen and a Volvo.]
30 posted on 01/14/2003 6:39:28 PM PST by new cruelty (Read this tagline, then see the movie!)
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To: new cruelty
Thanks!
31 posted on 01/14/2003 7:19:14 PM PST by null and void (It did happen...)
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