Anti-whaling protestors hope to hear tomorrow whether New Zealand or Australian police will investigate charges against the captain of a Japanese whaling fleet that collided with the anti-whaling protest vessel Ady Gil in Antarctic waters.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Group, which had the boat in the Antarctic, wants to see charges laid, including attempted murder.
The group's two other boats the Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker this weekend continued to tail the Japanese whaling fleet to try to stop them from hunting whales and impact their quotas, Sea Shepherd founder and captain of the Steve Irwin, Paul Watson, said today.
The Ady Gil, formerly known as Earthrace, sank while under tow late this week after it was in a collision with the Japanese security ship Shonan Maru 2 on Wednesday.
The whaler suffered no apparent damage. Both sides blame the other for the crash, which occurred as the Ady Gil harassed the Japanese fleet.
Mr Watson said Dutch authorities were investigating possible piracy charges against the Japanese whalers.
The group's lawyers had also approached New Zealand and Australian police, but not yet heard if they would take action, he told NZPA.
"We want the Shonan Maru captain charged with attempted murder... if anybody had been inside the boat they would have been killed. So I don't understand how come there's no criminal charges being brought against the Shonan Maru.
"...I think it's the responsibility of the New Zealand Government and the Australian Government to lay charges against the Shonan Maru -- it took place in Australia's territory against a New Zealand vessel and New Zealand crew members."
Mr Watson hoped to hear from police tomorrow.
"It shouldn't even be necessary for us to contact them. They should be taking action right now."
A spokesman for New Zealand police national headquarters said if an application had been made over the weekend police would not be able to look at it until Monday. Police would have to ascertain if they had jurisdiction in the matter, he said.
Mr Watson today also called for New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully to resign or apologise after comments he made earlier this week.
Mr McCully said in a radio interview: "If people are determined to break the law and determined to kill other people on the high seas, then it is not the responsibility of the New Zealand Government or any other Government to send armed vessels down there or something of that sort to stop them."
The minister called for protestors and whalers to show restraint as New Zealand, Australian and Japanese authorities began an investigation into the incident. He is not commenting further on the stoush while it is investigated by maritime authorities.
Mr Watson said in six years the group had never broken the law or injured anybody.
He believed Mr McCully had "put all of our lives in jeopardy" by implying the protestors may have been at fault.
"I think it's grossly irresponsible of the minister to make a statement like that."
The Steve Irwin was able to pursue the whalers for at least another month and a half and the Bob Barker three months, before needing to head to a nearby port to refuel, Mr Watson said.
