KEY POINTS:
The Japanese whaling ship stranded in the Southern Ocean after catching fire looks set to stay there for at least another day, despite pleas from New Zealand for it to be moved.
The Nisshin Maru sent out a distress call from the Ross Sea early on Thursday
after a fire erupted below deck.
The fire left dead crew member, 27-year-old Kazutaka Makita, whose body was recovered below deck yesterday after the blaze burnt itself out.
Maritime New Zealand spokesman Steve Corbett told NZPA today the Government, fearing an environmental catastrophe, wanted the ship out of Ross Sea "as quickly and as safely as possible".
The Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), which operates the Nisshin Maru, turned down an offer from nearby Greenpeace protest boat the Esperanza to tow it out of the area.
There were four vessels from the ICR, which would be able to tow the ship away, but safety checks needed to be made first, Mr Corbett said.
"Their first job today -- and maybe throughout the whole of the day -- is to assess the damage.
"Yesterday they were still fighting the fire and stripping down the walls making sure there was nothing else that could catch fire or that was smouldering away."
Mr Corbett said after today the crew would be able to make an assessment of the damage to the ship.
"We're not expecting to talk with the Master until this afternoon at the very earliest."
A US icebreaker, which was travelling to Hobart from McMurdo Sound, stopped by the stricken vessel yesterday and confirmed to Maritime NZ there was no pollution leaking into the sea. ICR spokesman Glenn Inwood said yesterday the ship's captain had shut off engine power after the fire broke out, and the crew was not sure whether the engine would restart.
Mr Inwood said if the engines restarted, a decision would be then be made on whether the Nisshin Maru remained in the Southern Ocean to carry on whaling or return to Japan for repairs.
The Nisshin Maru is carrying about 1000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, which if it spilt could wreak havoc on the surrounding Ross Sea -- a pristine, densely-populated wildlife area.
- NZPA
