Reply #25: Sea Shepherd: Who Rammed Whom?

[Barrett808]

On Monday, February 12, 2007, the Japanese whaling ship Kaiko Maru was intercepted by the Sea Shepherd ship Robert Hunter as it was chasing a pod of whales. The Robert Hunter intervened by crossing in front of the Kaiko Maru, which allowed the whales to escape.

The Kaiko Maru then came alongside the Robert Hunter and swerved into the starboard side of the Sea Shepherd ship to push it into some ice.

The Robert Hunter’s hull was penetrated and a large hole ripped open into the forward compartment area above the main deck. The shoving of the Robert Hunter against the ice caused damage below the water line on the port side of the engine room compartment.

Both ships then moved into the ice and then began to work their way out of the floe when, suddenly, the Kaiko Maru backed up and rammed into the stern port side of the Robert Hunter. This collision penetrated the hull and opened a one-meter gash in the bulwarks above the main deck.

After striking the Robert Hunter twice, the Kaiko Maru then issued a Maritime Distress signal. Both the Robert Hunter and the Farley Mowat responded to the distress request but the Kaiko Maru would not respond. New Zealand Search and Rescue informed both Sea Shepherd ships that the Kaiko Maru reported they were in “grave and imminent danger”

Captain Paul Watson assured New Zealand Search that they were not threatening the whaler, and that it was the whaling ship that had inflicted damage.

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http://www.seashepherd.org/news/media_070212_1.html