(The Age, Australia)
Australian activists board Japanese whaling ship
Andrew Darby
January 8, 2012 - 10:21AM
Australian environmental activists are believed to have boarded the Japanese whalers' security ship, Shonan Maru No. 2, in a daring move throw it off the tail of the Sea Shepherd ship, Steve Irwin.
The three activists from the Forest Rescue group climbed aboard the heavily-protected Shonan Maru No. 2 about 16 nautical miles out to sea from Bunbury, Western Australia, overnight.
They are being held aboard the Japanese ship, which remains inside the Australian 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, according to a statement from Forest Rescue and Sea Shepherd.
Geoffrey Tuxworth, 47, of Perth; Simon Peterffy, 44, of Bunbury; and Glen Pendlebury, 27, of Fremantle took a small boat out to sea from Bunbury for a rendezvous with Steve Irwin crew, who have been tailed by the Japanese ship since Christmas Day.
"They were met by two small boats from the Steve Irwin," the statement said.
"The boats approached the Shonan Maru No. 2 under cover of darkness and the three negotiated their way past the razor wire and spikes, and over the rails of the Japanese whaling vessel.
"They came with a message. 'Return us to shore in Australia and then remove yourself from our waters'."
The Forest Rescue said the three men were now being held as prisoners in Australian territorial waters by an invading Japanese vessel containing armed Japanese military personnel.
In the statement, the men said they taking the stand to prevent the Shonan Maru No. 2 from tailing the Steve Irwin back to the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary.
"We as Forest Rescue are insulted and disappointed in our government for allowing the transit of whale poaching vessels in Australian waters," they said.
This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/australian-activists-board-japanese-whaling-ship-20120108-1ppuz.html
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