The crew of the Southern
Supporter, an Australian customs vessel, has finally arrived here
in Cape Town harbour after an epic three-week chase through the
treacherous southern ocean, dodging
icebergs and high seas to arrest the crew of a ship caught poaching
rare Patagonian toothfish.
The Australian customs officials described how
the pursuit began, south of Australia, when they stumbled
upon an illegal fishing-boat in a restricted area. The Uruguayan
registered ship, Viarsa, headed south towards the
winter pack-ice around Antarctica, trying to
outrun the pursuers and leading
them through ten-metre high waves, dangerously thickening ice and
hurricane force winds.
Eventually, with support from two ships from South Africa and
Britain, the Viarsa was stopped and boarded and 85 tons of the
Patagonian toothfish, which are facing
extinction, were discovered frozen in the hold. The catch
is worth millions of dollars and the Viarsa and its crew, currently
being guarded off the South African coast, will be escorted back
to Australia to face prosecution.
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treacherous: very dangerous
dodging: trying not to crash
into
poaching: illegally catching
the pursuit: the chase
stumbled upon: found by accident
the winter pack-ice: very thick
ice which spreads over a large area during the winter
to outrun: to go faster than
the pursuers: the people chasing
facing extinction: if an animal is facing extinction,
there are very few remaining - it is possible that in a short
time this animal will be gone forever
to face prosecution: to be charged
with a crime
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