Japanese whaler adrift in stormy seas
Greenpeace offer of help declined
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Japanese whaling vessel the Nisshin Maru - partially evacuated yesterday following an engine-room fire - is still wallowing powerless in Antarctica's stormy Ross Sea, the Daily Telegraph reports.
The remaining crew have, with assistance from other whaling fleet vessels, been able to control the blaze and stabilise the 8,000-ton ship by pumping out excess water. Accordingly, a spokesman for New Zealand's maritime agency told Reuters the immediate danger of environmental damage caused by oil or chemical leaks had passed.
Greenpeace has offered to send its vessel Esperanza, down in the Southern Ocean as part of a fleet dedicated to stopping the hunt of 850 minke whales and 10 fin whales, but the lifeline was declined. Greenpeace's expedition leader, Karli Thomas, said: "Our first thoughts are for the missing crewman and the rest of the people on board. This is not a time to play politics."
Glenn Inwood, a spokesman for the Institute of Cetacean Research which is in charge of Japan's whaling programme, retorted to AP: "The whole Greenpeace offer is a red herring. Their assistance is not required and will not be accepted."
It's not clear whether the Nisshin Maru's engines can be restarted, the Telegraph notes. One man is still missing, presumed dead, as a result of the fire. ®
COMMENTS
selfishness
I feel you would have to be a very selfish person to refuse any help when your ship is ablaze and the crew are in danger. They obviously value their apperance more than the value of a life (I guess that does sum up a whalers characteristics though doesn't it- as a whales life means nothing to them)
Also-International marintime law-where'd you get that information from! In the law of England past consideration is of no value- so unless Greenpeace demanded a price upright the whalers would not be forced to pay. Can you really see greenpeace worrying about money and politics in a time of urgency? No- because they actually understand a value of a life- unlike the government who seems to now value a life at £1m..... fantastic thinking involved there wasnt there!
(i'd love to see if Tony blair felt his childrens life was only worth £1m.......)
Actually, we're there already
Hi - Dave Walsh, webbie on the Esperanza right now. If I look out the window of the ship's campaign office, I can see the Nisshin Maru. We're standing by.
Ooops
Just the other day, these whalers were attacking greenpeace vessels with firehoses and generally making their selves unpopular. Now they have a problem, and they don't want any outside help thanks.
That's ok, their ship might go down and they all end up in the water.
At night, the whales come ...
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