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03/31/2005

Sea Shepherd Crewmembers Assaulted By Sealers

1400 Hours AST / 1000 PST

Nineteen Sea Shepherd crew are on the ice approaching the sealing vessel Brady Mariner. The Coast Guard vessel Amundsen has dispatched a helicopter towards our crew. The crew are approximately one half a nautical mile from the Farley Mowat. I informed the Fisheries Officer on the Amundsen that they were not in violation because no one is sealing. They said they were. We see no evidence of this. The Coast Guard helicopter has just flown over the Farley Mowat towards the crew and landed near them then took off again.

At 1405 Hours AST

Six of our international volunteer crew members, including Lisa Moises, Lisa Shalom, Jon Batchelor, Jonny Vasic, Jerry Vlasak, and Ian Robichaud were assaulted by sealers from the sealing vessel Brady Mariner. They were punched and hit with clubs and hakapik.

1415 Hours AST / 1015 PST

The crew are returning to the ship.

A Coast Guard helicopter has landed by some of the crew. They may be arresting them. I have officially requested that assault charges be brought against the sealers. They will most likely ignore my request. The bottom line is that a crewmember taking a picture was assaulted and injured.



1430 Hours AST

Some of the crew have made it back to the ship but not all of them. The Coast Guard icebreaker Amundsen has pulled up behind the Farley Mowat to prevent the rest of the crew from getting back on the Farley Mowat The crew still on the ice are being arrested.