An illegal Japanese whaling vessel, the Shonan Maru No. 2, has used potentially deadly tactics against the Sea Shepherd vessel Ady Gil in the Southern Ocean. The video, taken by the whalers, clearly shows them deliberately ramming the stationary Sea Shepherd boat, then using a water cannon on the crew of the stricken boat.

Sea Shepherd have come into contact with Japanese whaling vessels before while trying to stop their illegal activities but here the deliberate action against a much smaller boat is an outrage. Apparently the Japanese also refused to assist after the crew of the Ady Gil made a mayday call; I seem to remember when the Japanese lost a crew member overboard a couple of years ago Sea Shepherd immediately offered to provide whatever assistance they could. In such a hostile environment this action by the Japanese could have easily proved fatal.

The Japanese insistence on their right to kill whales to eat under the guise of research is both cowardly and deeply strange; as is their apparent contempt towards both fellow mariners, Australian legal rulings and international opinion.

Update: here's another angle...