http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jVZogcoma6nnOgV6-OOmvgJuQs-QThe bow of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's Ady Gil was sheared off Wednesday in a collision with a far larger Japanese whaling ship - the most serious clash in what has become an annual confrontation off the frozen continent.
The whaler, Shonan Maru No. 2, suffered no apparent damage. Both sides blame the other for the collision, which occurred as the Ady Gil harassed the Japanese fleet.
<snip>
Amid fears the Ady Gil was sinking, a second Sea Shepherd ship, the Bob Barker, began towing it Thursday toward French research base Dumont d'Urville, 185 miles (300 kilometres) to the south.
But the tow rope snapped after only 23 miles (37 kilometres) because the Ady Gil was filling with water, Bob Barker's first officer Peter Hammarsedt said.
The Bob Barker left the Ady Gil to sink and resumed its pursuit of the Japanese whalers.
Sid