February 1, 2009
The Japanese whaling ships have been jamming Sea Shepherd communications and have been deploying a long range acoustic weapon device to repel Sea Shepherd boats. The sound waves cause disorientation and nausea.
The Japanese whaling ships have been jamming Sea Shepherd communications and have been deploying a long range acoustic weapon device to repel Sea Shepherd boats. The sound waves cause disorientation and nausea.
The deployment of military weapon systems in the Antarctic Treaty Zone is a violation of international law. The whalers are becoming increasingly violent in defense of their illegal activities.
“It is a very dramatic scene out here as ships zig zag back and forth in thick ice and heavy swells,” said Captain Paul Watson. “The whalers are deploying water cannons, concussion grenades, acoustic weapons, and throwing solid brass and lead balls at Sea Shepherd crewmembers. If we were to do any of the things these thugs are doing, we would be denounced as eco-terrorists. There certainly is a double standard where whale killers can use violence without fear of condemnation from their government and we can’t even defend ourselves without condemnation from our governments. What is important however is that despite the violence from the whalers, no whales are being killed. They can’t get away from us and if we keep on their tail they can’t kill whales.”
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A crewmember from the Steve Irwin was slightly injured after being struck by a high pressure water cannon fired from the Japanese whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru. One of the cameramen on one of the Steve Irwin’s inflatable boats was cut and bruised above the eye when a high pressure blast of water knocked him off his feet while he was filming.
A second crew member was also injured in the confrontation with the whalers. Laurens De Groot of the Netherlands was slightly injured when struck in the face by a metal ball thrown by whalers. Whalers onboard the Yushin Maru #3 threw solid brass and lead balls at crewmembers on one of the Steve Irwin’s inflatable boats.
The Sea Shepherd crew also discovered that the Japanese whaling fleet is deploying a new weapon in defence of their illegal whaling activities.
The factory ship the Nisshin Maru and the two harpoon vessels in the fleet are equipped with Long Range Acoustical Devices (LRAD). This is a military grade weapon system that sends out mid to high frequency sound waves designed to disorient and possibly incapacitate personnel. It is basically an anti-personnel weapons system.
The Steve Irwin has been chasing the Japanese whaling fleet for twenty-four hours at high speed through scattered ice fields and changing weather conditions for over three hundred miles westward across the top of the Ross Sea.
At 0500 Hours (Sydney Time) the Steve Irwin deployed two fast inflatable boats and a helicopter to harass the fleet and to hurry them along. Sea Shepherd’s strategy is to keep the whaling fleet on the move. If they are running they are not killing whales and no whales have been killed during the last 24 hours. In fact the Steve Irwin crew were excited to see Fin whales swimming alongside the ship as they pursued the whaling fleet.
The Japanese harpoon vessels have been maneuvering very close to the Steve Irwin to intimidate and to try and lead the Sea Shepherd ship away from the Nisshin Maru. The confrontation that began in clear weather in dense ice and heavy swells became increasing treacherous as fog and blizzard conditions moved in around 0900 Hours.
The Steve Irwin crew retreated when within range of the acoustic weapons.
“All we need to do is to keep them running and to keep them from whaling and that is exactly what we are doing. It is proving to be a very successful day,” said Captain Paul Watson.
Weather conditions are becoming increasing worse with heavy snow, fog, increasing swells and denser ice conditions.