Sea Shepherd aiding crew of sinking ship suspected of illegal fishing off West Africa coast [Archive]

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panopticon

6th April 2015, 13:33

Sea Shepherd aiding crew of sinking ship suspected of illegal fishing off West Africa coast (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-06/sea-shepherd-seeks-to-aid-crew-of-sinking-ship/6373844)
6th April, 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/3688602-3x2-340x227.jpg

Conservation group Sea Shepherd says it is trying to rescue at least 35 crew members who have abandoned a sinking vessel off the coast of West Africa.

The Sea Shepherd vessel Bob Barker had been tailing the Thunder for several months, as it is believed the ship is involved in illegal fishing in Antarctic waters.

Sea Shepherd's Adam Burling said the Thunder issued a distress signal at about 4:00pm (AEST) this afternoon.

"What we've done is we've launched our small boat to offer assistance," he said.

"We've confirmed that the Thunder is sinking and that their 35 crew have abandoned the ship into life rafts.

"We have a second ship arriving within the next few hours, the Sam Simon, so between the two we feel we can safely accommodate the crew."

Peter Hammarstedt, captain of the Bob Barker, told ABC News 24: "We have a small boat in the water. They're delivering water, food and medical advice to the Thunder crew."

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has been informed, and is relaying information to rescue authorities in Nigeria.

Captain says vessel deliberately sunk

The Thunder was issued with an Interpol notice for suspected illegal fishing activity in 2013.

Sea Shepherd have been following the ship as part of its Operation Icefish.

"We've been following the internationally-wanted poaching vessel Thunder for the past 110 days. They were at the limit of their fuel yesterday," said Mr Hammarstedt.

"Our suspicion is that the captain of the Thunder, knowing he's run out of fuel, has deliberately sunk his own boat in order to destroy any physical evidence.

"I've sent a couple of my crew onboard the Thunder — my chief engineer examined the engine room, which is completely underwater.

"We also notice they've opened several hatches — those that the water, once it's filled one area of the ship, will quickly go into another and it's clear, in my opinion, that this ship was sunk."

He said he hoped Sea Shepherd would still see an end to the case.

"I was really hoping this was going to be a case that would be decided in a court of law and that's why we were determined to hand the Thunder over to law enforcement authorities," he said

"It seems like the captain of the Thunder felt the pressure was too much, that he would certainly see the inside of a jail cell and he'd rather see the evidence sink with his ship and that's the situation we're in."

Source (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-06/sea-shepherd-seeks-to-aid-crew-of-sinking-ship/6373844)

panopticon

6th April 2015, 13:42

Conservation group Sea Shepherd has launched a rescue mission to save sinking poaching vessel, Thunder (http://www.news.com.au/world/africa/conservation-group-sea-shepherd-has-launched-a-rescue-mission-to-save-sinking-poaching-vessel-thunder/story-fnh81gzi-1227293493432)
6th April, 2015

http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2015/04/06/1227293/493605-3a683b1c-dc4d-11e4-bde2-90f29debd666.jpg
Violence ... Sea Shepherd crew say a Thunder masked officer threw a chain at their small boat.
Picture: Simon Ager / Sea Shepherd Global Source: Supplied

ENVIRONMENTAL activist group Sea Shepherd has rescued the very ship it has accused of poaching threatened fish stocks and campaigning against over the past few months.

The Bob Barker received a distress call from Patagonian toothfish poaching vessel Thunder this afternoon.

Captain Peter Hammarstedt said 35 crew members had been rescued late tonight from the sinking ship, and were being held in life rafts until Sea Shepherd received further advice from marine authorities on where to take them.

http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2015/04/06/1227293/493378-6971073c-dc4c-11e4-bde2-90f29debd666.jpg
Help ... Sea Shepherd launched a rescue operation for the poaching vessel, Thunder, after it issued a distress call that it was sinking.
Picture: Erwin Vermeulen / Sea Shepherd Global Source: Supplied

He said the circumstances of the sinking, in the southern ocean off the coast of Africa, were suspicious.

“This isn’t your usual rescue situation,” he said.

“We’ve been following them for the past 110 days and we are currently 90 nautical miles from port. They are running low on fuel and we suspect the captain has deliberately sunk his ship to destroy evidence of illegally poached fish.

“Thunder has been engaging in gross criminal activity and this is just the latest act of that activity. They haven’t been able to go to port because we’ve been following them daily and reporting their location to the authorities so they know as soon as they go to port they were going to be detained.”

http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2015/04/06/1227293/493657-5c2bb87e-dc4c-11e4-bde2-90f29debd666.jpg
Horror ... A toothfish — know as ‘white gold’ by poachers — caught in the illegal gillnet left by the Thunder.
Picture: Jeff Wirth / Sea Shepherd Global Source: Supplied

Captain Hammarstedt said three of his crew boarded the poaching ship after all crew were safely on board life rafts.

He said the fish hold was a quarter full of suspected Patagonian toothfish and a sample of the fish was handed over to police.

“Normally when a vessel is genuinely sinking, all the hatches and doors would be closed to slow down the process but in this case our crew were able to see that all hatches were left open to most likely to speed up the process,” he said.

Last month, Captain Hammarstedt branded the vessel a slave ship and called for a government to intervene.

Thunder was deregistered by its flag state, Nigeria, for violations of its registry conditions.

Source (http://www.news.com.au/world/africa/conservation-group-sea-shepherd-has-launched-a-rescue-mission-to-save-sinking-poaching-vessel-thunder/story-fnh81gzi-1227293493432)

panopticon

6th April 2015, 14:13

Thunder Issues Distress Signal. Sea Shepherd Launches Rescue Operation (http://www.seashepherdglobal.org/news-and-commentary/news/thunder-issues-distress-signal-sea-shepherd-launches-rescue-operation.html)
Sea Shepherd News Release: 6th April 2015

http://www.seashepherdglobal.org/images/news/2015/550x211xnews-150406-1-1-EV-Liferafts-DSC_8989-550w.jpg.pagespeed.ic.6HeNdPm9ru.jpg
35 crew from the Thunder have abandoned ship and are now in life rafts.
Photo: Erwin Vermeulen

Today, at approximately 15:39 AEDT, at location 0˚ 20’ North 05˚ 24' East inside the Exclusive Economic Zone of Sao Tome, the poaching vessel, Thunder, issued a distress signal. The Captain of the Thunder radio the Sea Shepherd ship, Bob Barker, reporting that the vessel was sinking.

The Sea Shepherd ship, Bob Barker, immediately answered the distress call.

35 crewmembers from the Thunder have abandoned the ship and are in life rafts.

Sea Shepherd confirms that the Thunder appears to be taking on water.

The Bob Barker is currently coordinating a search and rescue operation.

Captain Peter Hammarstedt of the Bob Barker said, “We have received a distress call from the Thunder. It appears as though the ship and crew are in a serious situation. The Captain of the Thunder has radioed us and said their ship is sinking. We have launched our small boat and are doing everything we can to assist."

Source (http://www.seashepherdglobal.org/news-and-commentary/news/thunder-issues-distress-signal-sea-shepherd-launches-rescue-operation.html)

Michael Moewes

6th April 2015, 14:53

The "Thunder" is a poacher vessel. it fished Patagonian Toothfish, a highly endangered species in antarctica, where the Bob Barker under Captain Peter Hammarsted actually caught them in action. From that moment on the Bob Barker pursued the Thunder for apx 120 days. The crew from the poacher vessel realized that they will not escape, because everytime the Thunder aproached a Country, Captain Hammarsted already informed the authorities of the poacher vessel aproaching. The only way out for these Poachers was actually to sink their ship and to give up. Unvortunately for the Thunder crew their vessel didn't sunk fast enough so that a few crew members from the Sea Sheppherd vessel Bob Barker where boarding the Thunder and where able to take evidence. Great news is that this vessel will never hunt again, the crew of the Thunder are all save and facing a crime trial due to their poaching. Made my day for shure. Yeehaa
Live healthy and Vegan

Michael Moewes

6th April 2015, 16:06

Michael Moewes

6th April 2015, 18:47

Latest Update:

THE THUNDER HAS SUNK!

Captain Peter Hammaerstedt of the Sea Shepherd anti-poaching ship BOB BARKER has reported that the unflagged toothfish poaching vessel THUNDER has sunk.

The ship went down in 4000 metres of water in the position of 00 Degrees 19'North & 005 Degrees 25' East. This is 19 nautical miles North of the Equator and 115 miles from Sao Tome.

The film crews onboard the THUNDER and onboard the SAM SIMON filmed the THUNDER as it slid beneath the waters of the Atlantic Ocean inside the EEZ of the nation of Sao Tome.

The evidence is that the THUNDER was deliberately scuttled by her Captain to destroy the evidence of their illegal fishing operations in the Southern Ocean.

The 40 crew of the THUNDER are presently onboard the SAM SIMON and under observation as Sea Shepherd awaits a response for assistance from Nigeria or Sao Tome.

“Usually when a vessel is sinking, the captain will close all hatches so as to maintain buoyancy. However, on the Thunder, the reverse was done - doors and hatches were tied open and the fishhold was opened. It is an incredibly suspicious situation, to say the least.” - Capt. Peter Hammarstedt.

The pursuit of the THUNDER has ended after 110 Days with the THUNDER sunk and no injuries to the crews on any of the vessels.

Michael Moewes

6th April 2015, 20:46

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Last Image
SEA SHEPHERD CALLS FOR SUPPORT FROM NIGERIAN NAVY

The SAM SIMON is now on scene with the BOB BARKER

Situation: 35 of the THUNDER’s crew are in liferafts. Four officers of the THUNDER remain onboard the slowly sinking ship. For security reasons, Sea Shepherd will not pick up the crew until the officers disembark from the THUNDER. The seas are calm. The Nigerian Navy has been notified and a request has been made for them to intervene.

Message from Captain Sid Chakavarty on the SAM SIMON

:To all concerned parties,
The MY Sam Simon and the MY Bob Barker are with the FV Thunder. The crew of the Thunder appear to have abandoned their ship and are in three life-rafts in the water.

We urge RCC Nigeria to dispatch a naval support vessel for this rescue mission. The vessel has been issued with an Interpol purple notice the embarkation of the Captain, Officers and Crew by a Nigerian naval vessel would be the official channel to take these personnel to land.

The Bob Barker and the Sam Simon will stay together and not embark the Thunder crew unless they are in danger while in their liferafts or there is no other avenue.

We urge Nigeria and the naval assets in the region to respond to us at the earliest.

To all concerned parties,
35 of the F/V Thunder's crew are in the liferafts and being tended to by the RHIB of the MY Bob Barker. The captain of the F/V Thunder+4 officers are refusing to abandon the ship.

Captain Peter Hammarstedt has relayed the information that he will only embark the Thunder's crew when all 40 of their crew are in life rafts.

Weather is currently very good and the crew in the life rafts are doing okay. There is no immediate danger to the crew in the liferaft.

Siddharth Chakravarty,
Captain- MY Sam Simon.

raregem

6th April 2015, 20:52

BTW. It is not suspected, it was caught in the act of poaching. panopticon, you should get the headline straight with the facts, thank you

Sea Shepherd aiding crew of sinking ship suspected of illegal fishing off West Africa coast (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-06/sea-shepherd-seeks-to-aid-crew-of-sinking-ship/6373844)
6th April, 2015

Source (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-06/sea-shepherd-seeks-to-aid-crew-of-sinking-ship/6373844)

I'm member of Sea Sheppherd and get daily updates

I am sure you mean well yet this response is rude.
Help those of us who "screw" up TRYING HARD to get correct info and to pass it on properly.
Why not just kindly clarify instead of propping ego into statement and cornering of OP?
I don't care to read more ego if that is how you answer my post. Just give me your understanding, I can take it from there.
Hope to stay ON topic here. thank you.

p.s. Awesome work you do ...

panopticon

7th April 2015, 06:28

BTW. It is not suspected, it was caught in the act of poaching. panopticon, you should get the headline straight with the facts, thank you
I'm member of Sea Sheppherd and get daily updates

G'day Michael,

I'd hope members would notice that the title of the thread is from the first article quoted.

Guess it was missed.

In relation to Thunder and its operations, according to Interpol in 2013:

It is possible that the owners of ‘Thunder’ have earned more than USD 60 million from its illegal fishing activities since it was blacklisted by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) in February 2006.

The vessel is currently believed to be operating in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica where it may be fishing illegally for Patagonian toothfish, also known as Chilean Sea Bass, a highly sought after protected species.
Interpol 2013 (http://www.interpol.int/News-and-media/News/2013/PR152)

I live in Tasmania and have also been a long term supporter of Sea Shepherd and its activities.

That is the reason I was posting about Sea Shepherd rescuing crew members of the accused illegal fishing vessel Thunder.

It was to show how Sea Shepherd is not about destruction of other vessels but hindering their operations. In this case they hindered the vessel for so long (4 months) that they were able to cause real problems. In addition Sea Shepherd reporting the position of Thunder to Interpol led to their not being able to refuel. This in turn led to the scuttling of the vessel apparently being the only viable option for the captain...

Then, low and behold, the "Sea Shepherd pirates" who have been harassed and harangued by other vessels, in various legal jurisdiction and by politicians all over the world launched and organised the rescue operation for the crew of the vessel they had been following..

That was the reason and purpose for this thread.

In addition could you link to an article on the conviction of the Thunder captain & crew for the crime of illegal fishing.

As far as I know (under Australian law at least) an individual, group, organisation etc are accused of a crime until convicted of it...

In other words they are suspected until formally charged and then convicted.

That is the reason articles (from Australia) I am referencing are cautious in their wording (doesn't prejudice potential future trial nor open them to slander suits in our ever increasingly litigious world).

I might suggest reading this article as it might help you (and others) understand the limitations of the Sea Shepherd strategy if you are not already aware of it:
Tough fighting crime on high seas (http://www.themercury.com.au/news/opinion/talking-point-tough-fighting-crime-on-high-seas/story-fnj4f64i-1227183784985)

I am sure you mean well yet this response is rude.
Help those of us who "screw" up TRYING HARD to get correct info and to pass it on properly.
Why not just kindly clarify instead of propping ego into statement and cornering of OP?
I don't care to read more ego if that is how you answer my post. Just give me your understanding, I can take it from there.
Hope to stay ON topic here. thank you.

Thanks Raregem.

Just to note that personally I do not view that I "screwed up".

It was the title from the first article I referenced and until charged & convicted they are "suspected". Yes, Sea Shepherd has presented evidence to assist Interpol in the laying of illegal fishing charges against Thunder's captain/crew but, as far as I'm aware anyway, there have been none made as of yet.

I must admit I'm getting used to misplaced abuse from people who think they are on a mission.

Not surprised nor let down by it any more.

Now can we please get :focus:

This thread is supposed to be in support of Sea Shepherd's Operation Icefish (http://www.seashepherdglobal.org/icefish/).

http://www.seashepherdglobal.org/images/icefish/120x120xlogo-icefish-200x200.png.pagespeed.ic._9tYAsKLt4.png (http://www.seashepherdglobal.org/icefish/)

-- Pan

panopticon

7th April 2015, 06:33

'Incredibly strange': Captain cheered as pirate ship sank, Sea Shepherd rescuers say (http://www.smh.com.au/environment/incredibly-strange-captain-cheered-as-pirate-ship-sank-sea-shepherd-rescuers-say-20150406-1mfkle.html)
April 7, 2015

http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/1/m/f/k/k/v/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.1mfkle.png/1428360819230.jpg
According to Interpol, the boat has illegally reaped tens of millions of dollars worth of prized 'white gold' toothfish.
Photo: Sea Shepherd

The captain of an alleged pirate ship accused of fishing illegally in Antarctic waters (http://www.smh.com.au/environment/sea-shepherd-rescues-crew-of-sinking-pirate-fishing-ship-20150406-1mfiqu.html) clapped and cheered as his vessel sank off the West African coast overnight, an indication that the ship had been deliberately scuttled, according to Sea Shepherd activists.

In what was described as a "weird and surreal" experience, Sea Shepherd crew members have now rescued 40 people from the alleged poaching vessel, the Thunder, which the conservation group had been pursuing for nearly four months from the Southern to the Indian and Atlantic oceans.

Captain Peter Hammarstedt, the director of ship operations for Sea Shepherd Australia, told Fairfax Media from the deck of the Bob Barker, a Sea Shepherd vessel, that the Nigerian-flagged Thunder was now "3800 metres below the surface of the sea".

Crew members from the Thunder had been towed on life rafts to the Bob Barker's sister ship, Sam Simon, where they were being given food, water and medical attention before being taken to Sao Tome, in the Gulf of Guinea, where the crew would be handed over to local law enforcement authorities.

"What was incredibly strange was that the captain of the Thunder, when the vessel did actually sink, started applauding and cheering, which I took to be very unusual behaviour and further evidence that he deliberately sank his own vessel," Captain Hammarstedt said.

"We had a small boat crew that was with the life raft at the time. They were towing the life raft to the Sam Simon so that the crew could be recovered, and they witnessed the captain of the Thunder in a very jovial mood once the Thunder actually went down completely."

http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/1/m/f/k/1/s/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.1mfkle.png/1428360819230.jpg
Forty people were rescued from the vessel.
Photo: Sea Shepherd

The Thunder, which has used a series of names and different national flags, is said by Interpol to have illegally reaped tens of millions of dollars worth of prized "white gold" toothfish, and Sea Shepherd Australia vessels have been pursuing it since December.

Sea Shepherd boats have recovered gillnets up to 25 kilometres long, which are banned in the Antarctic, and which were allegedly abandoned by the Thunder. The Sea Shepherd had made numerous reports to transnational authorities claiming the Thunder had repeatedly tried to ram the Bob Barker and hurled grappling hooks and other metal projectiles at the vessel during the long pursuit.

The Thunder issued a distress signal about 4:00pm (AEST) on Monday, and Sea Shepherd vessels that had been pursuing the vessel were then obliged to take the crew on board.

http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/1/m/f/k/1/t/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.1mfkle.png/1428360819230.jpg
The captain of the sinking ship cheered as it went down, say activists.
Photo: Sea Shepherd.

Captain Hammarstedt said the response from Thunder crew members to being rescued varied. He said the Indonesian crew members, who he said were employed as fishermen on board the vessel to do the "dirty and dangerous" work, were relieved to have been rescued.

"The deck officers, who are primarily Spanish, were not as happy. I think that we probably weren't their preferred rescuer but sometimes you don't get to decide who rescues you," Captain Hammarstedt said.

He said the Thunder's captain, who was a Chilean national, was "a bit difficult to deal with, complaining a lot".

"I'd never imagine someone complaining as much about being rescued as this guy," Captain Hammarstedt said.

"It was a very unusual situation. Certainly the crew on board that vessel have been very violent and aggressive towards my crew and my ship for the past almost four months, so it was a weird, surreal experience having to take them on board one of our ships, but it is our legal and moral obligation to do so."

Captain Hammarstedt said he believed the ship had been deliberately scuttled to destroy any evidence of illegal fishing.

"We've been chasing the Thunder for 110 days now, and I think they're basically at the end of their fuel, and they would have had to make a port call. I think the captain of the Thunder made the decision that he preferred the physical evidence on board ... was better on the ocean bottom than going into port with him," he said.

Captain Hammarstedt said the crew members were all searched for weapons as they boarded the Sam Simon, and had been segregated from Sea Shepherd staff as the vessel made its way towards Sao Tome, a journey that was expected to take four to five hours.

Source (http://www.smh.com.au/environment/incredibly-strange-captain-cheered-as-pirate-ship-sank-sea-shepherd-rescuers-say-20150406-1mfkle.html)