Record-breaking chase - Sea Shepherd smashes poachers!

110 days – that’s how long the longest pursuit of a poaching vessel in history lasted. The website seasheperd.org reports that this time the notorious vessel “The Tunder”, which is part of the so-called Bandit Six, was sent to the bottom. After this spectacular escape, the pursued vessel was sent on another long journey by its own crew. This time 4000 m down to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

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72km of illegal gillnets from the sunken vessel ended up on one of Sea Sheperd’s vessels, the ‘Sam Simon’. At the same time, two more poaching vessels were apprehended – ‘Kunlun’ in Thailand and ‘Viking’ in Malaysia. The whole operation was described as the most successful action against sea poachers in history.

Swedish-born Captain Peter Hammarstedt commanding the vessel “Bob Baker” and Captain Sid Chakravarty from India on “Sam Simon” and their crews are now collecting congratulations, for the work done during this 4-month odyssey. “Sam Simon” entered action in Wellington, New Zealand, while “Bob Baker” entered action in Hobart, Tasmania. They conducted their chase over 10260 nautical miles!

Before the vessel was sunk, Sea Shepherd members managed to collect and secure evidence of illegal activities by the crew of “The Thunder”. 40 fishermen left the sinking vessel and were taken on board the ‘Sam Simon’ where they were given blankets and food. Both Sea Sheperd vessels then handed over the poaching crew to the authorities in Sao Toma, the capital of São Toma. No one was injured during the entire operation.

All operations were the result of cooperation on an unprecedented scale. Operation Icefish was a cooperation between the authorities of New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Mauritius, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and Spain. According to Sea Shepherd, as a result of the action taken, poaching activity in the Southern Ocean region has been curbed. The evidence secured will be handed over to Interpol.

Source: seasheperd.org