MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Nisshin Maru Japanese whaling ship catches fire

<i>Robert Hunt</i> approaching <i>Nisshin Maru</i>

Japanese whaling ship has caught fire near Antarctica, leaving one crew member missing and raising fears of environmental damage.

The blaze on board the Nisshin Maru prompted the evacuation of its crew onto other ships. The whaling fleet has been pursued by activists, protesting at plans to hunt 850 minke whales and 10 fin whales. In recent days, protesters from the Sea Shepherd environmental group have clashed with the whalers, and thrown acid and other objects on the ships to try to stop them from carrying out their hunt. The alarm was sounded on board the Nisshin Maru - an 8,000 tonne processing ship - just before daybreak About 120 members of its crew were evacuated to three other ships in the whaling fleet, while 40 sailors stayed on board to fight the fire in the ship's engine room. One crew member is reported missing, but it is not clear whether he was caught up in the flames or went overboard into the icy waters of the Ross Sea. New Zealand Conservation Minister Chris Carter said that while the safety of the whaling ship's crew was the top priority, "we are also gravely concerned about the environmental risk to Antarctica's pristine environment, if the ship is sufficiently damaged to begin leaking oil". New Zealand maritime authorities - whose country is responsible for search and rescue operations in the area - have ruled out any possibility that anti-whaling protestors had something to do with the fire. Instead they think the blaze was caused by a mechanical fault. Earlier this week, Japanese fisheries officials described members of the Sea Shepherd group as terrorists, after one of their vessels collided with a whaling boat in the southern ocean. After that incident activists threatened to ram the Nisshin Maru to prevent whales being hauled on board for processing. But the activists' ships were at least two or three days' sailing distance away from the whalers when the fire occurred. Nevertheless the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd could face questioning and even charges in Australia over its protest against Japanese whaling vessels, federal Justice Minister Chris Ellison has said. Sea Shepherd footage of the incident has appeared on TV in Australia, and both sides have blamed each other for the collision. The Sea Shepherd's flagship, the Farley Mowat, and its other vessel the Robert Hunter, are now on their way to Melbourne after leaving the whaling fleet behind. "I would remind those concerned that the Crimes Act, which deals with ships and platforms in the ocean, does have provisions which make it an offence to interfere with the navigation of another ship on the high seas or its safety," Senator Ellison said. "Should any vessel return to port and there be evidence of that, they could well face questions about their activity." Senator Ellison said Australia was committed to the anti-whaling cause, but extreme protest tactics would not be tolerated. "I would remind all those concerned that if they are to call into an Australian port they could well face the consequences of Australian law if they breached it," Senator Ellison said.