Latest Nisshin Maru Stories

By RAY LILLEY WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A Japanese whaling ship crippled by fire drifted off the world's largest penguin breeding grounds Friday, and New Zealand alerted other countries it may need help if the vessel leaked oil into the pristine Antarctic waters. One crewmember was missing from the 8,000-ton Nisshin Maru, which had started to list from water pumped aboard to fight the fire. The fire was contained below decks but continued to burn, said New Zealand Conservation Minister...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- Two activists attacked a Japanese whaling ship with a bottle of acid and a smoke bomb Friday, slightly injuring two crew members after the vessel helped rescue the protesters from the icy Ross Sea off Antarctica, officials said.The activists from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society protest ship Farley Mowat disappeared during a confrontation with the Nisshin Maru but were found after about seven hours, with members of the Japanese whaling expedition assisting.John...

CANBERRA -- A standoff between environmental activists Greenpeace and a Japanese whaling fleet in remote icy waters near Antarctica has escalated, with both sides accusing each other of dangerously ramming their vessels.Greenpeace has been chasing and disrupting the Japanese whalers for more than two weeks by deploying inflatable boats to harass Japanese "catcher boats," positioning them between the whales and harpoon guns.Shortly before Christmas, both sides accused each other of...