Fri, 08 Jan 2010
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Opinion:
By Dave
The official report is out. The ecoterrorists and the whalers share the blame. Here's the report in Adobe PDF format: http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/AdyGil/Investigation-report-Ady-Gil-Shonan-Maru-Hi-rez.pdf (PDF)
By concerned mariner
According to the international COLREGS the ADY GIL was clearly the stand on, or right of way vessel in this situation. The SHONIN MARU II was clearly the give way or burdened vessel. This was due to the COLREGS concerning vessel approach, the ADY GIL being on the starbord side of the SHONIN MARU II, and the overtaking or passing of the ADY GIL, apparently on her port quarter by the SHONIN MARU II. All this while the ADY GIL was dead in the water with little or no maneuvering ability. Regardless of how much of an impediment the ADY GIL may have been to the Japanese whalers, it was never acceptable behavior for a SHONIN MARU II's captain to deliberately create a collision situation where there was none. In my 40 plus years of sailing and racing experience, I have never seen such appalling behavior on the part of a ship's captain. The SHONIN MARU II's captain is punishable by up to 12 years in prison, according to an earlier comment. The captain should receive this punishment and be stripped of his/her captain's license for life. In addition, the company owning and operating the SHONIN MARU II should be forced to pay for the complete replacement of the ADY GIL, plus compensatory and punitive damages to the crew and owners of the ADY GIL. If any other members of the SHONIN MARU II's crew or her owners and operators took part in this bad decision, they too should be punished as criminals. I see this as necessary to deter other intentional rammings of small vessels by larger vessels. If one thinks that I am wrong about this, ask oneself the following question: Would the captain of the SHONIN MARU II have done the same thing to another big ship? I think not!
By Whale Lover and Defender
I think that the Japs should be prosicuted to the fullest. They hit the Ady Gil on purpose! The Ady Gil was almost stopped in the water, and the Japs turned and hit them. For the Japs who were defending thier actions, I say that if you stop hunting whales you won't have to deal with the Sea Shepherds and you wouldn'tf have to defend your actions because they wouldn't be needed. To ram a boat, and threaten the lives of those on board is stupid. It is just as stupid to let them do it and not punish them for it. My thoughts are that, someone should stop whale hunting, especially if the idiots are going to do something like this.For those who were on the boat, I am behind you 100%. Someone has to stop the Japs. And I respect you for trying. God bless you for prortecting his creatures.
By lainey kasal
I wonder who's being paid off to look the other way while the japanese continue their slaughter. I've watched as many videos of the ramming as are available and the only conclusion a sane person could come to, ady gil was rammed intentionally. Facts: the ady was low on gas so they were basically parked, waiting for refueling, her crew was on deck waving goodbye to the crew of the bob barker, the japanese ship came up behind them & changed course, aiming directly at ady after turning on their LRAD and water cannons. Headlines refer to it as a collision, but collision implies that both vessels were moving. That's like parking your car and being slammed into & then being held equally responsible. The japanese seem to be willing to say & do anything to satisfy their appetite for seafood. Their government is probably saying the dophins that are clubbed to death in the documentary "the cove", attacked the fishermen who were then forced to defend themselves. Poppa
By Steven Baker
This is not an issue about pro/against whale hunting. It´s maritime law, and have been regulated for hundreds of years so the matter is actually very simple. "International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea" from 1972. According the videos I have seen (http://www.seashepherd.org/matilda/video.html) it´s there very clear that the Shonan Maru does not notice the obligation to carry "safe speed" (Any vessel must proceed at a safe speed, which she can to take action to avoid collision and able to stop within the distance for the prevailing conditions (including the visibility, weather, traffic condition, background lights, her maneuverability (e.g. stopping distance and turning circles) and draft in relation with the available water). It´s obligation to give way: (When two power-driven vessels are crossing, the vessel which has the other on the starboard (right side)side must give way. The give-way vessel must take early and substantial action to keep well clear.) It´s obligation to avoid collision: (Action to avoid collision Actions taken to avoid collision should be: positive obvious made in good time Since the Ady Gil is almost dead in the water (not doing speed) and therefore limited in its ability to maneuver the matter is so done and the Japanese captain sure knows that since it was one of the first things he learned at sea. These are just so basic rules. It´s like someone in a passing car runs into you in a crossing where you stopped to wait for traffic to pass so you can get over to the other side. There is just not any excuse for that at all.
By Jason
Well I don't know if this thread still has any interest, but I was at the helm of the Ady Gil when it was rammed. Quite frankly the captain of the Shonan Maru II won't be sleeping too well at this stage, in the face of a potential twelve year prison sentence. I would like to know what sort of moron would think that we would deliberately put ourselves in the way of an 800 tonne ship. A couple of metres more and I would be dead!