This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7195342.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Australians transfer whaling pair | Australians transfer whaling pair |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Australian officials have returned two activists who boarded a Japanese whaler to their own vessel, ending a stand-off in Antarctic waters. | Australian officials have returned two activists who boarded a Japanese whaler to their own vessel, ending a stand-off in Antarctic waters. |
| The pair, from the radical Sea Shepherd group, boarded the Japanese vessel as part of an anti-whaling protest. | The pair, from the radical Sea Shepherd group, boarded the Japanese vessel as part of an anti-whaling protest. |
| An Australian surveillance ship was called in to transfer the two men back, when whalers and activists could not agree on a direct hand-over. | An Australian surveillance ship was called in to transfer the two men back, when whalers and activists could not agree on a direct hand-over. |
| Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith called for calm from both sides. | Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith called for calm from both sides. |
| "I again urge all parties to exercise restraint, to observe the law and the conventions so far as maritime safety is concerned, and to ensure that an incident like this does not occur again," he said. | "I again urge all parties to exercise restraint, to observe the law and the conventions so far as maritime safety is concerned, and to ensure that an incident like this does not occur again," he said. |
| Australian Federal Police said that they were investigating the actions of the two activists - Briton Giles Lane, from Leeds, and Australian Benjamin Potts. | |
| The activists said that they would continue to harass the Japanese fleet, which said it would now resume whaling after a temporary suspension. | The activists said that they would continue to harass the Japanese fleet, which said it would now resume whaling after a temporary suspension. |
| Deadlock | Deadlock |
| The Australian ship, the Oceanic Viking, returned the pair to Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin vessel early on Friday. | The Australian ship, the Oceanic Viking, returned the pair to Sea Shepherd's Steve Irwin vessel early on Friday. |
| SEA SHEPHERD GROUP Founded 1977 by Paul Watson, one of Greenpeace foundersSelf-proclaimed policing organisation aimed at protecting marine wildlifeCommitted to shutdown of all illegal whaling and sealing operationsMore confrontational than other environmental groupsHas fleet of three ships plus several smaller boats | SEA SHEPHERD GROUP Founded 1977 by Paul Watson, one of Greenpeace foundersSelf-proclaimed policing organisation aimed at protecting marine wildlifeCommitted to shutdown of all illegal whaling and sealing operationsMore confrontational than other environmental groupsHas fleet of three ships plus several smaller boats |
| The Oceanic Viking, in Antarctica to collect evidence for a possible legal challenge against the whalers, was called in to end deadlock over the two men. | The Oceanic Viking, in Antarctica to collect evidence for a possible legal challenge against the whalers, was called in to end deadlock over the two men. |
| The two activists boarded the Yushin Maru 2 harpoon vessel on Tuesday. | The two activists boarded the Yushin Maru 2 harpoon vessel on Tuesday. |
| The whalers sought to return them, but wanted assurances from Sea Shepherd that they would not be attacked during any transfer. | The whalers sought to return them, but wanted assurances from Sea Shepherd that they would not be attacked during any transfer. |
| Sea Shepherd rejected any conditional handover and accused the whalers of holding the two hostage. | Sea Shepherd rejected any conditional handover and accused the whalers of holding the two hostage. |
| As both sides ratcheted up rhetoric, the Japanese and Australian governments agreed to use the Oceanic Viking to end the stand-off. | As both sides ratcheted up rhetoric, the Japanese and Australian governments agreed to use the Oceanic Viking to end the stand-off. |
| Mr Potts said he planned to stay on the Steve Irwin. | Mr Potts said he planned to stay on the Steve Irwin. |
| "We'll continue to harass the Japanese fleet and prevent them from whaling," he told Australian media. | "We'll continue to harass the Japanese fleet and prevent them from whaling," he told Australian media. |
| He said the whalers tried to throw him overboard, something described by a whaling official as "completely untrue". | He said the whalers tried to throw him overboard, something described by a whaling official as "completely untrue". |
| The whalers, meanwhile, said that they would resume operations. | The whalers, meanwhile, said that they would resume operations. |
| "The Yushin Maru is heading back towards the rest of the research vessels and yes, when it has the opportunity, it will continue with the programme," Glenn Inwood of Japan's Institute for Cetacean Research told the French news agency AFP. | "The Yushin Maru is heading back towards the rest of the research vessels and yes, when it has the opportunity, it will continue with the programme," Glenn Inwood of Japan's Institute for Cetacean Research told the French news agency AFP. |
| The Japanese fleet plans to kill about 900 minke whales and 50 fin whales by mid-April as part of what it describes as a scientific research programme. | The Japanese fleet plans to kill about 900 minke whales and 50 fin whales by mid-April as part of what it describes as a scientific research programme. |
| But other nations and environment groups say the research goals could be achieved using non-lethal methods and call the programme a front for commercial whaling. | But other nations and environment groups say the research goals could be achieved using non-lethal methods and call the programme a front for commercial whaling. |
| TRACKING JAPANESE WHALERS November 2007: Japanese fleet of six whaling ships sets sail 31 December: MV Esperanza carrying Greenpeace campaigners enters Antarctic waters on trail of Japanese fleet. MV Steve Irwin carrying rival Sea Shepherd Conservation Group also heads towards whaling fleet9 January: Australian ship Oceanic Viking leaves Perth on whaling surveillance mission15 January: One Briton and one Australian held by Japanese after boarding Yushin Maru No 2 to deliver protest letter | TRACKING JAPANESE WHALERS November 2007: Japanese fleet of six whaling ships sets sail 31 December: MV Esperanza carrying Greenpeace campaigners enters Antarctic waters on trail of Japanese fleet. MV Steve Irwin carrying rival Sea Shepherd Conservation Group also heads towards whaling fleet9 January: Australian ship Oceanic Viking leaves Perth on whaling surveillance mission15 January: One Briton and one Australian held by Japanese after boarding Yushin Maru No 2 to deliver protest letter |