Both Captains to Blame for Collision Between Activists and Whalers

The January collision between a Japanese whaling ship and a protest boat has now been officially blamed on both sides.

Maritime New Zealand says there is no evidence that either side intentionally caused the collision. The organization has placed blame on both captains saying they both failed in acting properly to avoid the accident.

The Sea Shepherd, an environmental group protesting whaling, accused the Japanese whaling ship, SHONAN MARU 2 of intentionally hitting its speed boat the ADY GIL. The whaling ship claimed the ADY GIL intentionally entered the SHONAN’s path.

Peter Bethune, Captain of the ADY GIL, boarded the SHONAN MARU 2, a month after the incident and presented its captain with a bill for damages. He was arrested following the illegal boarding and held in a Japanese jail for five months before being convicted and sentenced to two years in prison. His sentence was however suspended for five years and he was deported to New Zealand, where he will face no jail time.



Pictured ADY GIL