Japan: Crippled Ship No Threat to Area (world's biggest penguin breeding ground)

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070216/D8NAN1JO0.html

Japan: Crippled Ship No Threat to Area
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Feb 16, 3:51 AM (ET)

By RAY LILLEY

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - A whaling ship disabled by fire in Antarctic waters near the world's biggest penguin breeding ground poses no environmental threat, Japanese officials said Friday, despite calls for swift action to avert catastrophe.

New Zealand officials and environmentalists expressed concern that the 8,000-ton Nisshin Maru - left without engine power after a fire broke out aboard - could threaten the penguin rookery at Cape Adare, about 100 miles away.

It is unclear if the fire has been extinguished; officials said Friday that the area where the fire broke out was filled with smoke and couldn't be examined.


In this photo released by Greenpeace, their MY Esperanza makes its way in the Southern Ocean on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007. The Greenpeace vessel is on its way to offer assistance to the Japanese Whaling fleet's factory ship Nisshin Maru after it caught fire, Greenpeace said. Japan was urged Friday, Feb. 16, 2007, to accept help from Greenpeace to tow a whaling ship disabled by a fire away from the Antarctic coast, where officials fear an environmental disaster if it starts leaking oil. Greenpeace's Esperanza _ which is in the ice-strewn waters of the Southern Ocean to try to interrupt Japan's controversial whale hunt _ is one of few ships near the stricken vessel that is equipped to tow it away from trouble and toward port. Japanese officials on Thursday rejected the idea of help from anti-whaling groups. (AP Photo/Greenpeace, Daniel Beltra, HO)

The ship is carrying tens of thousands of gallons of oil, which environmentalists fear will spill and be carried by currents to Cape Adare. But no oil had spilled and the vessel was in no immediate danger of sinking, officials said.

FULL story at link.

[bahrbearian]

1. I didn't know Greenpeace had such nice vessels now.

Makes me want to go back to Sea.