Esperanza & Steve Irwin Ships Return Leaving The Whales To The Japanese Whale Killers
Both Greenpeace's Esperanza and Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin, have with hurt and sad regrets, had to leave protecting the whales in the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales, because of seriously low fuel levels on their ships.
The Esperanza has trailed and tailed the Nissin Maru slaughter house ship for over 5000 nautical miles and put their rib (small fast boat) in between the Japanese Nissin Maru whale killer ship and the Japanese Oriental Bluebird supply fuel ship. The Greenpeace fast rib tried to prevent the refuelling of the Nissin Maru, this action could have endangered their lives and received world publicity.
Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin, has trailed the whale killer fleet for over 6000 nautical miles and were successful in boarding the Japanese whale killer ship the Yushin Maru no. 2 by a fast rib (small fast boat). The two campaigners who boarded the boat could have endangered their lives by this action. The Sea Shepherd conservation group gained world publicity by their heroic actions.
The Sea Shepherd conservation ship the Steve Irwin, plans to return to the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales as soon as it can be refuelled and the main engine is repaired and provisions are taken on board.
Greenpeace's own supporters are asking Greenpeace to go back to the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales, after refuelling, to protect the whales from the merciless slaughter of the Japanese whale killers.
Japanese Armed Guards Protecting Japanese Whalers
According to media reports, the Japanese coast guard has admitted that there is an armed Japanese coast guard team in the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales.
This is the first time since 1992 that the Japanese coast guard personnel have been sent to a non coastal guard vessel outside of Japanese territorial waters.
The coast guard departed from Japan in December 2007 on a supply ship according to the Mainichi Shimblin.
A Sea Shepherd spokesman, Paul Watson captain of the Steve Irwin said, "we believe that the armed Japanese coast guard officers, are on the Fukuyoshi Maru no. 68 and their task is to prevent us from interfering with Japanese whaling operations". Paul Watson captain, also said, "they have certainly been relaying our position to their whaling fleet". The ship Fukuyoshi Maru no. 68 is constantly trailing the Steven Irwin ship, which is owned by Sea Shepherd, at a distance of 7 nautical miles.
The Sea Shepherd conservation society, questions why the Australian customs and fisheries vessel the Oceanic Viking, was required to remove their guns, prior to monitoring the Japanese whale killing fleet, in particular as the Japanese are armed!
Sending armed Japanese military into the Antarctic Treaty Zone is a severe violation of the Antarctic Treaty.
The Japanese are also violating the ruling of the Australian courts, which barred the Japanese from killing whales in the Australian Antarctic territorial economic exclusion zone.
Whale Killing Japanese Saga GreenEcoPeace Helps In Their Release
From the moment GreenEcoPeace heard that two Sea Shepherd voluntary crew had carried out a daring mission by boarding the Japanese whale killer ship the Yushin Maru 2, from a small fast boat (a rib), we knew that Sea Shepherd had a deadly message to deliver and we were right. The message was to advise the captain of the Yushin Maru 2, that he was illegally slaughtering endangered whales in the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales, under the deceitful pretence, of scientific research and he should leave the Antarctic Southern Ocean immediately and return to port!
But as soon as the two volunteer workers from the Steve Irwin, Giles Lane 35 from Great Britain and Benjamin Potts 28 from Australia, got onto the Yushin Maru 2, they were grabbed by cruel Japanese whalers and tied to the railings on the ship. Later, they were then tied to the radar mast of the Yushin Maru 2, for approximately 2 hours.
The two volunteers from Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin, were kept on board, the Yushin Maru 2, from the 15th January 2008 to the 18th January 2008.
On the 18th January 2008 the Australian customs ship Oceanic Viking intervened, (see news 12/1/08 Ocean Viking) and came along side the Yushin Maru 2. The two hostages boarded the Oceanic Viking and were returned to the Steve Irwin conservation ship.
GreenEcoPeace were in negotiations with the British government and campaigned throughout their ordeal, ensuring their release.
They were eventually released on the 18th January 2008 at 0200 hours Melbourne time (1300 hours GMT time).
Special note
The Australian federal court, on the 15th January 2008, ordered the Japanese government backed company, Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha out of the Australian whale sanctuary.
Copy of the petition delivered by the two volunteers from the Steven Irwin ship to the captain of the whale killing ship the Yushin Maru 2 below.
To: The Captain of any Japanese ship
Involved with poaching operations in The Australian Antarctic Territorial Economic Exclusion Zone.
Sir,
My name is Giles David Lane
I am a British citizen and an unpaid volunteer on the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel Steve Irwin
I have come onboard your ship because you have refused to acknowledge communication from our ship pertaining to your illegal activities in the waters of the Australian Antarctic Territorial Economic Exclusion Zone.
I am not boarding your ship with the intent to commit a crime, to rob you or to inflict injury upon your crew and yourself or damage to your ship. My reason for boarding is to deliver the message that you are in violation of international conservation law and in violation of the laws of Australia. It is my intent to deliver this message and then to request that you allow me to disembark from your vessel without harm or seizure.
I am empowered to act to uphold these laws in accordance with the United Nations World Charter for Nature and the laws of Australia.
I am boarding you with the request that you please refrain from any further criminal activity in these waters and cease and desist with the continued killing of endangered whales in this designated Whale Sanctuary in violation of the IWC global moratorium on commercial whaling and that you cease and desist in continued violations of Australian law by killing whales within the territorial waters of Australia without permit or permission from the government of Australia.
I am boarding you on the orders of Captain Paul Watson who requests that you treat me with respect and in accordance with the Geneva Convention.
Japanese Whalers Take British & Australian Hostage
Two anti-whaling campaigners on 15th January 2008 jumped from a Sea Shepherd rib onto the Japanese whale killing ship the Yushin Maru no. 2. in a daring mission. The mission was successful.
Benjamin Potts aged 28 from Australia and Giles Lane aged 35 from Briton boarded the Yushin Maru no. 2. and delivered a petition peacefully.
Copy of Petition
To: The Captain of any Japanese ship
Involved with poaching operations in The Australian Antarctic Territorial Economic Exclusion Zone.
Sir,
My name is Giles David Lane
I am a British citizen and an unpaid volunteer on the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel Steve Irwin
I have come onboard your ship because you have refused to acknowledge communication from our ship pertaining to your illegal activities in the waters of the Australian Antarctic Territorial Economic Exclusion Zone.
I am not boarding your ship with the intent to commit a crime, to rob you or to inflict injury upon your crew and yourself or damage to your ship. My reason for boarding is to deliver the message that you are in violation of international conservation law and in violation of the laws of Australia. It is my intent to deliver this message and then to request that you allow me to disembark from your vessel without harm or seizure.
I am empowered to act to uphold these laws in accordance with the United Nations World Charter for Nature and the laws of Australia.
I am boarding you with the request that you please refrain from any further criminal activity in these waters and cease and desist with the continued killing of endangered whales in this designated Whale Sanctuary in violation of the IWC global moratorium on commercial whaling and that you cease and desist in continued violations of Australian law by killing whales within the territorial waters of Australia without permit or permission from the government of Australia.
I am boarding you on the orders of Captain Paul Watson who requests that you treat me with respect and in accordance with the Geneva Convention.
Apparently according to Sea Shepherd after delivering the petition both men were assaulted and tied to the railings of the whaling ship. They were then moved and tied to the radar mast, by the Japanese whalers. All these actions have been recorded.
The two men who delivered the petition wanted to advise the captain of the Yushin Maru no. 2., that the whalers were in violation of International Conservation Law by targeting endangered species in an established whale sanctuary in violation of a global moratorium on commercial whaling.
The captain of the Yushin Maru no.2, was advised that Australia had just past a court ruling, forbidding the Japanese whale killing ships, from entering the Australian Antarctic Economic Exclusion Zone. The Australian and British Embassy have been informed. The hostages have not been released.
Second Conservation Ship Nearing Japanese Whalers
The Sea Shepherd ship the Steve Irwin, a conservation ship with a helicopter on board, is now where the Esperanza was in the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales two days ago and is closing in on the Japanese Whale Killing ships, according to Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd.
Unfortunately, whilst in the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales, the Steve Irwin had engine trouble and had to return back to port in Australia. The Steve Irwin came back out again to the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales and has almost caught up with the Japanese slaughter house ship the Nissin Maru and Greenpeace's ship the Esperanza.
Australia's Oceanic Viking Chasing Japanese Whalers
On 8th January 2008, the Oceanic Viking Australia's surveillance vessel left Perth Australia to shadow the Japanese Whale Killing Fleet in the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales. It has now been at sea for 5 day's.
The Oceanic Viking is carrying 18 Maritime crew, 30 Custom officers, a Doctor and an Official from the Federal department of Environment.
THE VESSEL HAS STOWED ARMS BELOW DECK TO AVOID A CONFRONTATION. AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS OFFICIALS ON BOARD THE OCEANIC VIKING WILL GATHER PHOTOGRAPHIC AND VIDEO EVIDENCE OF THE JAPANESE KILLING WHALES.
The Australian government has said, the Oceanic Viking will spend 20 days in the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales, gathering evidence for a potential International Court Case against Japanese whaling.
Australia plans to patrol with a low-flying A319 air bus jet, used by the Australian Antarctic Scientists, to follow and photograph the Japanese fleet.
Oceanic Viking is expected to take a least a week to reach the whaling grounds in the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales.
Mr Smith foreign minister said, photographic evidence gathered by the ship and aircraft, could be used before Legal Tribunals including the International Court of Justice in the Hague and the International Tribunals for the Law of the Sea, to stop Japan's hunt.
Japanese Whaling Fleet Found
After leaving Aukland New Zealand approximately 22 days ago and calling at Bluff on the way to refuel, Greenpeace's Esperanza, has found the Japanese Whale Killing Fleet in the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales and are now persueing closely the Nissin Maru the killer whale factory ship. The cruel Japanese government owned slaughter ship, the Nissin Maru, is now cowardly trying to flee from the Esperanza, but the Esperanza is determined not to let the Nissin Maru out of it's sight in this high speed pursuit.
Greenpeace vouched to lower their fast ribs (boats) to come between the whales and the Japanese whale killer ships, if the Japanese commence whaling.
GreenEcoPeace are giving their full support to Greenpeace by leaflet distributing against whaling, lobbying the UK government, the Australian government, the Japanese government and putting pressure on the UK government to work with over 30 other nations to put pressure on Japan to stop whaling.
We have just successfully saved 50 humpback whales.
3 days ago GreenEcoPeace passed valuable information to assist Greenpeace, which was passed onto the Esperanza in the Antarctic Southern Ocean Sanctuary for Whales.
We have been advised that Sea Shepherd another campaigning ship is just 24 hours away from reaching the Japanese whaling ship the Nissin Maru.
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