Japanese Whalers: Sixty-year-old Bob Barker Attacks Whaling Ship Shonan Maru No. 2
Ride Of The Valkyries: Japanese Whalers Claim Sea Shepherd Harasses The Nisshin Maru With Classical Music
Japanese Whale Researchers: Animal Planet Collaborated With Ecoterrorists During 'Whale Wars' Production
Sea Shepherd Press Release: Japanese Whalers Ram Sea Shepherd Ship Ady Gil; 'A Substantial Loss'
Whale Wars: Three Japanese Sailors Injured By Sea Shepherd 'Piracy'
Study: Swimmers At Sub-Tropical Beaches Show Increased Risk Of Illness; 'We Recommend Taking Simple Precautions'
WWF: Mekong Dams Threaten Rare Giant Catfish; 'The Clock Is Ticking'
Oceana Announces Partnership With Discovery Channel's Shark Week, Urge Passage Of Shark Conservation Legislation
NOAA Reopens One-Third Of Closed Gulf Fishing Area; 'Good News For Gulf Fishermen And American Consumers'
Extreme Archaeology: Divers Plumb The Mysteries Of Sacred Maya Pools
Florida Student Recounts Shark Attack, Shows Off Her Wound; 'There was blood'
Underwater Nude Model Bitten by Shark on Photo Shoot; 'We Push the Envelope'
Freak! Malaysian Fisherman Reels in Shark with 'Webbed Feet'
Guinness: India Park Home to World's Largest Crocodile; 23 Feet
South Africa Surfer Attacked By Great White Shark Hours Before 'Jaws' Broadcast; 'Lucky To Be Alive'
Strange Creature Found On Russian Coastline Baffles Locals - 371 comments
Freak! Malaysian Fisherman Reels in Shark with 'Webbed Feet' - 365 comments
Florida Student Recounts Shark Attack, Shows Off Her Wound; 'There was blood' - 255 comments
1063-pound, 12-foot 6-inch Mako Shark Hooked off Florida Coast May Be World Record - 245 comments
Aussie Teen Hooks Record Black Marlin, Feeds it to Sharks; 'It was Pretty Cool' - 192 comments
Bob Barker rams the Yushin Maru No.3 port stern. credit ICR
Bob Barker butyric acid-projectile on the Shonan Maru No.2 deck. credit ICR
The Bob Barker fires a high-power green laser device while approaching abnormally close from the Nisshin Maru stern. credit ICR
TOKYO, Japan -- Japanese research whalers in the Antarctic have accused the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society of ramming the Yushin Maru No. 3. The Japanese researchers said the activists approached the Yushin Maru No. 3 to throw bottles containing butyric acid in an attempted attack on the Japanese ship which led to the collision.
The text of Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research press release follows:
The Togo-registered ship Bob Barker collided today around 1310JST with the Japanese Antarctic research vessel Yushin Maru No. 3. The Bob Barker had suddenly approached the Yushin Maru No. 3 to launch butyric acid-containing bottle projectiles. When the Yushin Maru No. 3 tried to avoid this, the Bob Baker collided against its stern.
On the early morning of February 6 the Bob Barker appeared in the vicinity of the whale research mother ship Nisshin Maru approaching dangerously from the stern up to a few dozen meters. The Bob Barker had been repeatedly firing a high-power green laser device against the Nisshin Maru crew until well past 1200JST.
Thereafter the Yushin Maru No. 3 and other research vessels maneuvered to contain the Bob Barker and thus secure a safe distance between the Nisshin Maru and the antiwhaling ship. However, the Bob Barker suddenly approached from the Yushin Maru No. 3 port side launching a number of butyric acid-containing bottles and other projectiles. To avoid a collision the Yushin Maru No. 3 put hard to starboard but the Bob Barker starboard came into contact with the port stern of the research vessel. The Yushin Maru suffered minor damage to its hand rail and hull. The Bob Barker damage extent is unknown.
After ramming the Yushin Maru No. 3, the Bob Barker activists made use of a large slingshot device to shoot a number of butyric acid-containing bottles against the Shonan Maru No. 2. While most of the projectiles landed in the sea, about 10 butyric-acid bottles hit the Shonan Maru No. 2’s deck. There were no injuries to the crews of the Japanese whale research vessels.
Photographs and video of the incidents in the Antarctic can be seen at: http://www.icrwhale.org/gpandsea.htm
Reader Comments
2 people have commented so far.The brave but divisive acts of some on the high seas, and the bluster and bombast of others standing on the safe side of the shore, will not stop the killing. This is no longer about the slaughter of a thousand whales. It has become an imperialistic assault upon the culture of one hundred and twenty seven million people. And until someone can find a solution that allows the Japanese to save face and gracefully leave the Southern Ocean for good, the killing will go on, and on, and on…Please visit my blog: http://whaleanddolphintalk.blogspot.com/
- R.A.R. Clouston · USA · Feb 8, 2010 @ 4:22am
The videos of this ramming is silly. Japan's officials should be required to be in front of a camera when they say "We got rammed" to make sure if they can say it with a straight face. S.S ship couldn't turn 5% to port or star compared to the No. 3. That thing turns over 10% off course to "avoid" the hit. At the most it was a failure of the Japan captain to control his vessel, then the attempt to move away was taken too strong again questioning his ability to control it and hitting the stern. Inside cameras show the bridge crew all away from controls on binochulars and radios calling brace for impact at the last second. Yes they clearly were not following a straight path but planning to slowly slowly slide near the No.3 to scare him to make a sharp turn and hit the stern into the S.S boat. Lawless Japan criminals.
- Japan Lawyer · Japan · Jul 17, 2010 @ 3:02am