The Japanese whaling ship Nisshin Maru, carrying up to 1,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, is drifting on fire in Antarctica after what appears to have been an attack by a terrorist group of whales. The group, calling itself "Whales of Mass Destruction" - or "WMD" - has claimed responsibility. The C.I.A. has been aware of, and trying to locate WMD since the late 1990's.
About 20 crew are fighting the fire on the ship and 140 have been evacuated to other vessels in the six ship fleet. One crewman remains missing.
According to evacuated seamen, the ship was boarded late last night by a pod of whales wearing ski masks. "I . . . not sure, because they wearing masks." said one crewmember. "Maybe Fin whale, but definitely foreign because they not speaking Japanese" he added.
Unconfirmed reports say that the ship's owner, the Japanese Government's Institute of Cetacean Research "ICR", has received a demand from the WMD for "the return of all whales abducted by the Japanese".
An unofficial source at the ICR revealed that they were taking the demand seriously and were putting together as many bento boxes as they could find, with the remains of whales recently "caught for scientific research".
No comment was available from Australian government officials about any assistance they might provide to the stricken ship, although most pubs should close for the night in a couple of hours and a reply can be expected shortly thereafter.
However, as the Ross Sea lies in New Zealand's search and rescue zone, the New Zealand Navy has confirmed that both it's ships have "weighed anchor and raised sail" and they hope they will be in the vicinity of Antarctica "in about 3 months or so, if the winds are favourable".
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