Aussie team on way to Viarsa

2003-09-03 12:02

SAS Drakensberg - A crack Australian navy boarding team left Simonstown on Wednesday morning aboard SAS Drakensberg, headed for suspected poaching vessel Viarsa 1.

The Drakensberg, a navy support combat vessel, expects to rendezvous with the Viarsa on Thursday morning about 200 nautical miles south-west of Cape Point.

The Viarsa, suspected of poaching Patagonian toothfish, was boarded by Australian and South African fisheries officials last week after a 20-day chase through the iceberg-strewn Southern Ocean.

She is being escorted to Australia by an Australian fisheries protection vessel, the Southern Supporter. The master and senior crew of the Viarsa are expected to stand trial.

The leader of the Australian contingent on the Drakensberg, Commander Paul Bartlett, said his team's role was to support the fisheries authorities in taking the Uruguayan vessel to Fremantle.

"We have 27 Australian personnel on the Drakensberg at the moment," said Bartlett.

Aussie ship docking for supplies

"The team is made up of 12 personnel who are experienced in boarding operations.

They gained recent experience during operations in supporting United Nations sanctions in the Persian Gulf. The rest of the team is made up of specialists on the engineering and seamanship side."

He said the size of the team was determined by the size of the 41-strong crew of the Viarsa, "to ensure we are able to maintain our authority over the vessel".

He said that although though the Southern Supporter would stop in Cape Town to take on fuel and stores, the Viarsa would be kept outside South Africa's "contiguous zone".

"That is purely to maintain the legality of hot pursuit and the Australian arrest, so we are not complicated with other matters."

Drakensberg captain Kevin Wise, said his vessel would be joined by a helicopter from 22 Squadron to help transfer the Australians to the Viarsa.

"One of our strike craft will also be joining us to render whatever support is required."

"On completion of the transfer the South African navy will then withdraw and the Australians will carry on with the necessary arrangements to replenish the vessels and return to Australia."

Wise said this was the second time in two years the South African navy had helped its Australian counterpart to arrest a suspected poacher and he hoped this co-operation would continue.

Bartlett said Australian authorities were charged under international maritime law with maintaining the viability of fish stocks.

"South Africa's help to us on previous occasions and on this occasion shows both governments' strong response to maintain this responsibility."

- SAPA