"Japanese Whaler Rams Sea Shepherd Ships in Australian Waters"

"SOUTHERN OCEAN -- The Japanese whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru has collided with two whale conservation vessels and its own refueling tanker in Australia’s Antarctic waters, damaging the other ships. No injuries are reported."



"Images transmitted by the whale defense group Sea Shepherd show the Nisshin Maru scraping the stern of the tanker ship Sun Laurel and striking the Sea Shepherd ships Bob Barker and Steve Irwin.

The collisions, near Australia’s Davis Station, came on Wednesday afternoon local time as the Nisshin Maru was trying to get close enough to the Sun Laurel to take on fuel.

The Bob Barker was hit in the stern and was taking on water in the engine room. Now, however, the leak has been controlled and Bob Barker Captain Peter Hammarstedt has withdrawn the mayday distress call he issued at the height of the skirmish."

Environment News Service had the story February 20, 2013.

Source: ENS, 02/20/2013