View source for Viarsa 1

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'''''Viarsa 1''''' was a [[Uruguay]]an-flagged fishing vessel famous for its involvement in a high seas chase.
==Chase==
On 7 August 2003, [[Australia (continent)|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 (salvage tug)|John Ross]]'' and polar icebreaker SAS ''Agulhas'' and Falkland Islands-based British fisheries patrol boat ''Dorada''. On 28 August, after {{convert|3900|nmi|km|-2}}, the contingent, led by Australian Customs Officer Steve Duffy, surrounded ''Viarsa 1'' {{convert|2000|nmi|mi 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|A301|6}}, which met the other ships on 3 September. ''Southern Supporter'' and ''Viarsa 1'' arrived in [[Fremantle, Western Australia]], on 3 October. ''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.
It was the longest chase of an ocean poacher in history until the [[Sea Shepherd Conservation Society|Sea Shepherd]] vessels [[MY Bob Barker|Bob Barker]] and [[MY Sam Simon|Sam Simon]] intercepted the Nigerian-flagged trawler ''[[Thunder (ship)|Thunder]]'', also a toothfish poacher, and pursued her from December 2014 to April 2015 as part of Sea Shepherd's "Operation Icefish" campaign.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Urbina|first=Ian|date=28 July 2015|title=A Renegade Trawler, Hunted for 10,000 Miles by Vigilantes. The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/28/world/a-renegade-trawler-hunted-for-10000-miles-by-vigilantes.html|website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref><ref>"Operational updates". Southern Ocean Operation. Australian Customs and Border Protection Service. 3 October 2003.</ref>
==Trial==
Despite the 97 tonnes of toothfish found on board the vessel, representatives for the owners of ''Viarsa 1'' secured an [[acquittal]] by jury in November 2005. After two trials and two years, the seamen were free to return to their home countries.<ref>"Viarsa captain praises justice system". ninemsn. Australian Associated Press. 7 November 2005</ref>
==Salvage==
According to the environmental advocacy group Oceana, ''Viarsa 1'' was scrapped at an Indian shipyard.<ref>Pastor, Xavier (5 February 2008). "Oceana: The end of pirate fishing vessel Viarsa 1".</ref>
==Sources and external links==
*{{cite web |url=http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4691 |website=[[Australian Customs and Border Protection Service]] |department=Southern Ocean Operation |title=Operational updates |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040825005154/http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4691 |archivedate=2004-08-25 |date=3 October 2003}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/news/navynews/editions/4619/topstories/story06.htm |title=Navy returns Viarsa to Aussie waters |first1=LCDR Graham |last1=Spencer |first2=LEUT Matt |last2=Dunn |website=[[Navy News (Australia)|Navy News]]}}
*{{cite news |url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=70618 |title=Viarsa captain praises justice system |agency=[[Australian Associated Press]] |work=[[ninemsn]] |date=7 November 2005 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605162248/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=70618 |archivedate=2011-06-05}}
*{{cite book |title=Hooked: Pirates, Poaching, and the Perfect Fish |first=G. Bruce |last=Knecht |publisher=Rodale Books |year=2006 |isbn=9781594861109 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/hookedpiratespoa00knec }}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.fishupdate.com/oceana-the-end-of-pirate-fishing-vessel-viarsa-1-fishupdate-com/ |title=Oceana: The end of pirate fishing vessel Viarsa 1 |website=Fish Update |date=5 February 2008 |first=Xavier |last=Pastor}}
'''Specific'''
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[[Category:Ships of Uruguay]]
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