Viarsa 1

"Viarsa 1" is a Uruguay-flagged fishing vessel famous for its involvement in a high seas chase.

Chase

On 7 August 2003, Australian Customs and Fisheries patrol vessel Southern Supporter spotted "Viarsa 1" in Australian territorial waters near Heard Island. Suspecting the vessel of illegal fishing for toothfish, the Australians ordered the crew to stop. They fled, and this began a chase that would last for three weeks. The pair of vessels faced huge seas and numerous icebergs, and the rivalry was briefly suspended when the fishermen became lost in Antarctic sea ice and were directed to safety by the Australian sailors.

As the chase progressed across thousands of nautical miles of ocean, "Southern Supporter" was joined by the South African salvage tug "John Ross" and polar icebreaker SAS "Agulhas" and Falkland Islands-based British fisheries patrol boat "Dorada". On August 28, after convert|3900|nmi|km|-2, the contingent, led by Australian Customs Officer Steve Duffy, surrounded "Viarsa 1" convert|2000|nmi|km|-3 south-west of Cape Town, South Africa.

Meanwhile a steaming party of Australian personnel flew to South Africa and boarded the oiler SAS "Drakensberg", which met the other ships on September 3. "Southern Supporter" and "Viarsa 1" arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on October 3. "Viarsa 1" captain Ricardo Mario Ribot Cabrera and his four shipmates posted bail and were ordered to remain close by and await legal proceedings. They found lodging at a hostel for merchant seamen.

Trial

Despite the 97 tonnes of toothfish found on board the vessel, representatives for the owners of "Viarsa 1" were able to secure an acquittal by jury in November 2005. After two trials and two years, the seamen were free to return to their home countries.

ources and external links

* [http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4691 Australian Customs: official timeline]
* [http://www.defence.gov.au/news/navynews/editions/4619/topstories/story06.htm Australian Naval Report]
* [http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=70618 News article on release]
* [http://www.amazon.com/Hooked-Pirates-Poaching-Perfect-Fish/dp/sitb-next/1594861102 Hooked: Pirates, Poaching, and the Perfect Fish]