Captain Peter Bethune and Captors Spotted Approaching the Lombok Straits

10:00 Hours (Perth & Fremantle)
13:00 Hours (Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart)
18:00 Hours (PST) Friday Harbor and Los Angeles

Position of the Steve Irwin:  62 Degrees 21 Minutes South.  92 Degrees 56 Minutes East

The Shonan Maru 2 transporting Sea Shepherd prisoner Captain Peter Bethune is heading towards the Lombok Strait at 12 knots and is at a position 450 kilometers west of the Exmouth Lighthouse.

This position was relayed from observations by private yachts reporting to the Taz Patrol and posted on Twitter.

It is estimated that Captain Peter Bethune will arrive in Tokyo by mid-March. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is preparing for legal representation for Captain Bethune upon his arrival.

This is the first time that a New Zealander has been transported as a prisoner of war to Japan since World War II.

The Bob Barker is engaged with skirmishes with the Yushin Maru 3 as it continues to block whaling operations in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

The Steve Irwin is en route to Hobart, returning for fuel and to prepare for departure to the Mediterranean to protect Bluefin tuna.

Today marks 20 straight days that whales have not been slaughtered in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary due to interventions by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

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