THE HUNT FOR ELEKTRON
(00:00)
29 Russian fishermen
2 Norwegian hostages
1000 kilometres of ocean
THE HUNT FOR ELEKTRON
(00:35)
V.O.
The Russian trawler Elektron with a crew of 29 has been at sea since the end of July.
Their haul has been worse than expected, and the crew is in a bad mood.
(00:43)
Valery Jarantsev, Captain on the Elektron
For that reason the crew were
What can I say? Not quite depressed. But something likes that.
(00:55)
V.O.
Elektron heads for Spitsbergen, to fish the zone called the Fish Protection Area.
(01:02)
Jarle Hvidevold, Captain on Navy Vessel Tromsø
-We had been keeping an eye on this ship for several reasons.
(01:09)
Jarantsev:
-Eight nautical miles away the coastguard cutter Tromsø hailed us.
They hailed the ship by name. I think they chose us deliberately.
(01:27)
Hvidevold:
- We wanted to sneak up on him, so he wouldnt know we were coming. If they know we are coming, they might try to get rid of any irregularities in the equipment and the log. He didnt see us until our small craft was right by the ship.
(01:49)
Jarantsev:
I didnt expect any problems. The law was on my side.
I had all the papers I needed to work in this region.
(02:02)
Hvidevold:
We had suspected that this ship was reloading fish at sea.
Illegal reloading and manipulating cartons of fish.
(02:13)
V.O.
What the inspectors find when they board Elektron on October 15th, is a cache of illegal equipment. The grate that allows the smaller fish to escape is totally blocked.
An additional fine-meshed net is attached to the trawl net.
(02:32)
Hvidevold:
That trawl took everything on the bottom, fish of all sizes. This is a serious offence.
(02:41)
Question:
- Did you agree with this?
(02:45)
Jarantsev:
- No, I didnt.
(02:48)
Hvidevold:
- We decided to escort the ship to Tromsø, a Norwegian port.
(02:54)
V.O.
The Russian captain tries to contact the shipping company in Murmansk.
Since he cant reach anyone in the middle of the night, he agrees to head for the city Tromsø.
(03:06)
Hvidevold:
- At first he asked about the docking fee in Tromsø, and if he needed a pilot.
As if he already was prepared to head for Tromsø.
(03:20)
V.O.
Elektrons cargo hold and trawl are sealed. Two Norwegian inspectors are placed on board to monitor the seizure. One of them is first lieutenant Henning Thune.
(03:28)
Henning Thune, Lieutenant, Norwegian Coast Guard
- Everything was fine when I got on board.
They seemed to accept the findings of the inspection.
(03:39)
V.O.
But Elektron hasnt been able to reach the shipping company. The Captain thinks the coastguard had made an unlawful arrest, and fears the consequences of going to a Norwegian port. Jarantsev is bluffing to buy more time.
(03:54)
Jarantsev:
- I slowed down a bit, and said I had technical problems with the main engine.
(04:00)
Hvidevold:
- We offered to tow him. We would tow him to shore if he had technical problems.
(04:07)
Jarantsev:
- That was when I realised that this was an arrest.
(04:16)
Thune:
- Suddenly it turned out that the engines were working after all.
Pictures: Music + pictures of a turning boat
(04:29)
Jarantsev:
That was when we, or I, made the decision. All alone.
Not the shipping company, no one else. I did it, because it is my job.
The crew had no idea what I was about to do. It was a tough decision.
(04:56)
Question:
-What was your decision?
(04:58)
Jarantsev:
The decision was to change our course by 155 degrees, towards the navigational point
Sever 2, the point where you cross into the Russian Economic Zone.
(05:15)
Communications tape / Sequence:.
- Elektron, Elektron. This is the Norwegian coastguard helicopter. Channel 10.
- I order you immediately to stop your ship in this position.
- I order you immediately to confirm. Can you confirm?
- He doesnt give a damn.
- Elektron. This is the Norwegian coastguard helicopter at 10. I order you to immediately stop the ship in this position, I order you to immediately to stop the ship in this position. Can you confirm this order?
(06:13)
Jarantsev:
I considered my responsibility with regard to the crew. I knew the dangers involved in this. I had an armed military ship by my side. I knew I had to answer to their families. It was a tough decision. But when the decision was made, and we had turned about, it made it easier for me. (Sighs)
(06:49)
Communications:
- KV Tromsø from the helicopter, can you come from the other side, so you force him towards southeast. Im sorry, southwest. We have to force him towards north and then west. If we turn port, we will force him. First towards north.
- KV Tromsø to Svalbard. Have the inspectors been given authority to assume command of the ship? Are we allowed to do this?
- This is KV Tromsø. We have been in contact with shore.
We havent received any orders, so we havent done it yet.
(07:40)
Thune:
Its like The ship had a crew of 29, and we were two. We didnt have any control of the ship. We didnt have any say in regards to where the ship was heading.
(08:03)
Hvidevold:
The situation was tense. We had two people on board Elektron, and he refused to follow orders. And this didnt make the situation any better.
(08:16)
Jarantsev:
They launched 250 metres of rope from the stern of the ship.
(08:21)
Communications:
-Youre too far away. You have to come a lot closer.
- Tromsø, circle him once more, and I think youll have him.
(08:34)
Jarantsev:
Tromsø had the upper hand, as it was faster. They started to cross back and forth in front of me. And they tried to get a rope under the hull of my ship. They tried to make the rope go into the propeller.
(08:54)
Communications:
It went under the ship. Did it go under? Damn. Now its on the other side.
Sierra Viktor, we have tried two or three times to command the ship to stop, but nothing has happened. The ship is trying to get away. Tromsø keeps trying to stop it with a rope, but the ship keeps turning, so its very difficult.
(09:38)
Jarantsev:
Then the helicopter came. I could see that the pilot and a boarding party were getting ready. As far as I could tell, the boarding party was armed.
(09:48)
V.O
Unpublished recordings from the Coast guards communications reveal the Navy didnt dare to board and take command of the Elektron in fear that the captain might attempt to resist.
(10:08)
Communications:
- Theres not much more we can do now, Frode. We can get you on board if you want.
- I dont want to go on board under these conditions. Not because of the weather,
but because of what they might do.
- If the inspectors can take control of the ship, they can take the controls and stop the ship. And they can have more people on board.
- In that case they need more people on board.
- Do you want to go down there? No, just leave the door open.
(10:44)
Jarantsev:
They didnt board us. That was a mistake on their part.
Had they done that, they could have stopped us.
(10:52)
Communications:
- I understand that you havent put any personnel on the vessels?
- We havent put anybody down on the ship, as it wasnt appropriate.
- This is going to be interesting. But they are allowed to pursue him?
(11:27)
Thune:
- He was quite determined. He didnt show any signs of surrendering.
I thought we would end up somewhere in Russia
(11:42)
Jarantsev:
Tromsø sailed by our side. The crew started to prepare the cannon.
They spent some time opening the muzzle. 2-3 men were working on it.
(11:58)
Thune:
Its routine to make the cannon ready in a situation like this.
(12:06)
Jarantsev:
They lowered the cannon and pointed it at us.
(12:16)
Thune:
Its a long step from making the cannon ready to actually using it.
(12:22)
Jarantsev:
Were we prepared for war? The mood on board was strange.
We werent really at war, but you know what I mean.
(12:36)
We closed all the hatches and got ready, as if we were preparing for war. The coastguard cutter Tromsø was on our left hand side. My crew moved to the right hand side. We were ready to be shot at.
(13:05)
Thune:
The level of tension increased. They placed guards all around the ship,
in order to keep an eye on Tromsø.
(13:20)
Question:
- Why didnt they fire?
(13:23)
Jarantsev:
I think it was because the people on board Tromsø are human beings, not robots.
Thats what I think.
(13:32)
Hvidevold:
Why did you decide not to shoot at Elektron?
- We have several means at our disposal for different situations. I will not comment on why we chose this particular course of action.
(13:49)
V.O:
Other Russian fishing boats have followed the situation by radio. The trawler Arlashkin comes to its colleagues aid. Arlashkin lines off by the starboard side of Elektron to hinder the interception by the Coast Guard.
(14:11)
Jarantsev:
Thanks to Arlashkin, they couldnt stop me. From behind, they would only be able to capture Arlashkin. And for the new Norwegian government this would have been too much....
(14:24)
V.O
Side by side the two Russian ships now enter the international waters between Russia and Norway, with the coastguard still in pursuit. At a press conference at Naval Headquarters,, military officials say that they will stop the trawler no matter what:
(14:40)
Adm. Trond Grytting, Commander Norwegian Armed Forces Northern Norway:
We will not give up. This ship has broken international fishing laws.
This ship will be prosecuted no matter what.
(14:52)
V.O.
In the Barents Sea the coastguard decides to spring a trap, in a last attempt to capture Elektron before it reaches Russian waters.
(15:02
Jarantsev:
A warship was approaching. We could tell that it was 16-17 nautical miles away. The mates that were standing beside me on the bridge thought it had to be one of ours because of its speed.
(15.12)
Jarantsev:
- I had to tell them, because I knew: Men, none of our ships will come
(15:39)
Hvidevold:
We had reinforcements. Three more coastguard cutters.
(15:44)
Jarantsev:
One came from the east, and one from the west.
(15:47)
V.O.
Four coastguard cutters, one maritime surveillance aircraft and two helicopters now take part in the chase of Elektron. ForJarantsev the situation seems hopeless. The captain sends out a distress call.
(16:09)
Jarantsev:
I reported the situation and asked for help from the Russian government. ( ) I told the captain of Tromsø that if he confronted any other Russian ships, I would run him down.
(16:34)
V.O.
Back in Murmansk, his wife Tatyana is anxiously watching the news.
(16:42)
Tatjana Jarantseva, Wife:
I had a terrible time. I never left the TV set.
(16:51)
V.O.
In Murmansk the captains desperate cry for help has finally gotten a response. The Russian government deploys a destroyer to meet Elektron.
(17:04)
Tatjana
A lot of people called me. The wives of the crew called me. People from all over the country called me. They called at all hours. This helped me to get through it. The information and all the telephone calls.
(17:25)
Jarantsev:
We started to receive messages from shore, from all over Russia.
Even from people with no connection to the sea.
(17:40)
Question:
What were these messages?
(17:43)
Jarantsev:
All kinds of things. They were supporting me. People thought I was doing the right thing.
The understanding and the support were important to me.
(17:58)
V.O:
Members of the Russian media are now referring to Jarantsev as a hero. When Elektron is close to Russian waters he finally gets the first tangible reply to his distress calls.
(18:10)
Jarantsev.
We had been pursued for 510 nautical miles. But when it was 29 nautical miles to Russian waters, the Russian destroyer came to meet us
(18:30)
Thune:
- When we met the Russian destroyer, the level of tension increased.
When we got closer to Russian waters, it got a bit tenser.
(18:47)
V.O.
The Norwegian government admits that they have lost, and decides to strike a deal with the Russian government. Russia agrees to prosecute Elektron.
(18:56)
Hvidevold
After a while we had established this solution. We had to acknowledge the fact that this was the outcome.
(19:05)
V.O.
For the Norwegians on board Elektron the drama has come to an end.
(19:10)
Jarantsev
I told them I was sorry. I said I was sorry for the inconvenience. For this turn of events.
(19:20)
V.O.
The Russian Navy transports the abducted inspectors to the coastguard cutter.
In the port city Kirkenes they are greeted as heroes by the media.
(19:32)
Thune:
They never laid a hand on us. And they gave us food.
(19:40)
V.O.
But in Murmansk no heros welcome awaits.
(19:44)
V.O.
On October 20th Elektron is towed to an enclosed part of the harbour in Murmansk. There theyre met a large number of customs officers, border guards and fishing inspectors, in addition to members of the secret police, FSB.
(20:07)
Jarantsev:
I looked down at the deck and saw all the people there. Inspectors and harbour officials, in addition to border guards and customs officers.
( ) I went down to my cabin. When they got there, I started feeling ill. It felt like I was losing my eyesight. I couldnt see anything, but I heard them speak. So they called an ambulance.
(20:40)
V.O.
Five days with the coastguard on their heels, and no sleep, had broken the Russian captain. Jarantsev suffers a heart attack.
He has to spend the next weeks in a hospital in Murmansk.
There he learns that he is being criminally charged.
(20:57)
Jarantsev:
November 1 I saw it on TV. A number of violations, overfishing was one of them.
I was also charged with abduction.
(21:16)
V.O.
Jarantsev is out of the hospital, and he is awaiting his trial.
At the harbour in Murmansk he relives the drama in the Barents Sea
together with his wife Tatjana.
He asks us to convey a message to the captain of the coastguard cutter Tromsø.
(21:33)
Jarantsev:
-I want to thank the captain of Tromsø for retaining his composure.
(21:39)
Question:
In what way?
(21:40)
Jarantsev:
I think that when he was ordered to shoot, he didnt do it. I want to thank him for that.
(21:49)
Hvidevold:
I have to thank him for that. We are both sailors and captains of a ship, with a responsibility to a ship and its crew. We are colleagues at sea. This was an isolated incident, and for me it stops here.
(22:07)
Question:
- Do you have anything to say to him?
(22:10)
Hvidevold:
- I dont have anything in particular to say to him.
(22:14)
Jarantsev:
I hope that everything will be all right. The best thing for me is to be at sea. I hope I can do that when the spring comes. The most important thing for me is to continue as a seaman.
(22:33)
V.O.
Captain Valerij Jarantsev may lose his Skippers Certificate, and potentially faces up to seven years in prison.
THE END
(00:00)
29 Russian fishermen
2 Norwegian hostages
1000 kilometres of ocean
THE HUNT FOR ELEKTRON
(00:35)
V.O.
The Russian trawler Elektron with a crew of 29 has been at sea since the end of July.
Their haul has been worse than expected, and the crew is in a bad mood.
(00:43)
Valery Jarantsev, Captain on the Elektron
For that reason the crew were
What can I say? Not quite depressed. But something likes that.
(00:55)
V.O.
Elektron heads for Spitsbergen, to fish the zone called the Fish Protection Area.
(01:02)
Jarle Hvidevold, Captain on Navy Vessel Tromsø
-We had been keeping an eye on this ship for several reasons.
(01:09)
Jarantsev:
-Eight nautical miles away the coastguard cutter Tromsø hailed us.
They hailed the ship by name. I think they chose us deliberately.
(01:27)
Hvidevold:
- We wanted to sneak up on him, so he wouldnt know we were coming. If they know we are coming, they might try to get rid of any irregularities in the equipment and the log. He didnt see us until our small craft was right by the ship.
(01:49)
Jarantsev:
I didnt expect any problems. The law was on my side.
I had all the papers I needed to work in this region.
(02:02)
Hvidevold:
We had suspected that this ship was reloading fish at sea.
Illegal reloading and manipulating cartons of fish.
(02:13)
V.O.
What the inspectors find when they board Elektron on October 15th, is a cache of illegal equipment. The grate that allows the smaller fish to escape is totally blocked.
An additional fine-meshed net is attached to the trawl net.
(02:32)
Hvidevold:
That trawl took everything on the bottom, fish of all sizes. This is a serious offence.
(02:41)
Question:
- Did you agree with this?
(02:45)
Jarantsev:
- No, I didnt.
(02:48)
Hvidevold:
- We decided to escort the ship to Tromsø, a Norwegian port.
(02:54)
V.O.
The Russian captain tries to contact the shipping company in Murmansk.
Since he cant reach anyone in the middle of the night, he agrees to head for the city Tromsø.
(03:06)
Hvidevold:
- At first he asked about the docking fee in Tromsø, and if he needed a pilot.
As if he already was prepared to head for Tromsø.
(03:20)
V.O.
Elektrons cargo hold and trawl are sealed. Two Norwegian inspectors are placed on board to monitor the seizure. One of them is first lieutenant Henning Thune.
(03:28)
Henning Thune, Lieutenant, Norwegian Coast Guard
- Everything was fine when I got on board.
They seemed to accept the findings of the inspection.
(03:39)
V.O.
But Elektron hasnt been able to reach the shipping company. The Captain thinks the coastguard had made an unlawful arrest, and fears the consequences of going to a Norwegian port. Jarantsev is bluffing to buy more time.
(03:54)
Jarantsev:
- I slowed down a bit, and said I had technical problems with the main engine.
(04:00)
Hvidevold:
- We offered to tow him. We would tow him to shore if he had technical problems.
(04:07)
Jarantsev:
- That was when I realised that this was an arrest.
(04:16)
Thune:
- Suddenly it turned out that the engines were working after all.
Pictures: Music + pictures of a turning boat
(04:29)
Jarantsev:
That was when we, or I, made the decision. All alone.
Not the shipping company, no one else. I did it, because it is my job.
The crew had no idea what I was about to do. It was a tough decision.
(04:56)
Question:
-What was your decision?
(04:58)
Jarantsev:
The decision was to change our course by 155 degrees, towards the navigational point
Sever 2, the point where you cross into the Russian Economic Zone.
(05:15)
Communications tape / Sequence:.
- Elektron, Elektron. This is the Norwegian coastguard helicopter. Channel 10.
- I order you immediately to stop your ship in this position.
- I order you immediately to confirm. Can you confirm?
- He doesnt give a damn.
- Elektron. This is the Norwegian coastguard helicopter at 10. I order you to immediately stop the ship in this position, I order you to immediately to stop the ship in this position. Can you confirm this order?
(06:13)
Jarantsev:
I considered my responsibility with regard to the crew. I knew the dangers involved in this. I had an armed military ship by my side. I knew I had to answer to their families. It was a tough decision. But when the decision was made, and we had turned about, it made it easier for me. (Sighs)
(06:49)
Communications:
- KV Tromsø from the helicopter, can you come from the other side, so you force him towards southeast. Im sorry, southwest. We have to force him towards north and then west. If we turn port, we will force him. First towards north.
- KV Tromsø to Svalbard. Have the inspectors been given authority to assume command of the ship? Are we allowed to do this?
- This is KV Tromsø. We have been in contact with shore.
We havent received any orders, so we havent done it yet.
(07:40)
Thune:
Its like The ship had a crew of 29, and we were two. We didnt have any control of the ship. We didnt have any say in regards to where the ship was heading.
(08:03)
Hvidevold:
The situation was tense. We had two people on board Elektron, and he refused to follow orders. And this didnt make the situation any better.
(08:16)
Jarantsev:
They launched 250 metres of rope from the stern of the ship.
(08:21)
Communications:
-Youre too far away. You have to come a lot closer.
- Tromsø, circle him once more, and I think youll have him.
(08:34)
Jarantsev:
Tromsø had the upper hand, as it was faster. They started to cross back and forth in front of me. And they tried to get a rope under the hull of my ship. They tried to make the rope go into the propeller.
(08:54)
Communications:
It went under the ship. Did it go under? Damn. Now its on the other side.
Sierra Viktor, we have tried two or three times to command the ship to stop, but nothing has happened. The ship is trying to get away. Tromsø keeps trying to stop it with a rope, but the ship keeps turning, so its very difficult.
(09:38)
Jarantsev:
Then the helicopter came. I could see that the pilot and a boarding party were getting ready. As far as I could tell, the boarding party was armed.
(09:48)
V.O
Unpublished recordings from the Coast guards communications reveal the Navy didnt dare to board and take command of the Elektron in fear that the captain might attempt to resist.
(10:08)
Communications:
- Theres not much more we can do now, Frode. We can get you on board if you want.
- I dont want to go on board under these conditions. Not because of the weather,
but because of what they might do.
- If the inspectors can take control of the ship, they can take the controls and stop the ship. And they can have more people on board.
- In that case they need more people on board.
- Do you want to go down there? No, just leave the door open.
(10:44)
Jarantsev:
They didnt board us. That was a mistake on their part.
Had they done that, they could have stopped us.
(10:52)
Communications:
- I understand that you havent put any personnel on the vessels?
- We havent put anybody down on the ship, as it wasnt appropriate.
- This is going to be interesting. But they are allowed to pursue him?
(11:27)
Thune:
- He was quite determined. He didnt show any signs of surrendering.
I thought we would end up somewhere in Russia
(11:42)
Jarantsev:
Tromsø sailed by our side. The crew started to prepare the cannon.
They spent some time opening the muzzle. 2-3 men were working on it.
(11:58)
Thune:
Its routine to make the cannon ready in a situation like this.
(12:06)
Jarantsev:
They lowered the cannon and pointed it at us.
(12:16)
Thune:
Its a long step from making the cannon ready to actually using it.
(12:22)
Jarantsev:
Were we prepared for war? The mood on board was strange.
We werent really at war, but you know what I mean.
(12:36)
We closed all the hatches and got ready, as if we were preparing for war. The coastguard cutter Tromsø was on our left hand side. My crew moved to the right hand side. We were ready to be shot at.
(13:05)
Thune:
The level of tension increased. They placed guards all around the ship,
in order to keep an eye on Tromsø.
(13:20)
Question:
- Why didnt they fire?
(13:23)
Jarantsev:
I think it was because the people on board Tromsø are human beings, not robots.
Thats what I think.
(13:32)
Hvidevold:
Why did you decide not to shoot at Elektron?
- We have several means at our disposal for different situations. I will not comment on why we chose this particular course of action.
(13:49)
V.O:
Other Russian fishing boats have followed the situation by radio. The trawler Arlashkin comes to its colleagues aid. Arlashkin lines off by the starboard side of Elektron to hinder the interception by the Coast Guard.
(14:11)
Jarantsev:
Thanks to Arlashkin, they couldnt stop me. From behind, they would only be able to capture Arlashkin. And for the new Norwegian government this would have been too much....
(14:24)
V.O
Side by side the two Russian ships now enter the international waters between Russia and Norway, with the coastguard still in pursuit. At a press conference at Naval Headquarters,, military officials say that they will stop the trawler no matter what:
(14:40)
Adm. Trond Grytting, Commander Norwegian Armed Forces Northern Norway:
We will not give up. This ship has broken international fishing laws.
This ship will be prosecuted no matter what.
(14:52)
V.O.
In the Barents Sea the coastguard decides to spring a trap, in a last attempt to capture Elektron before it reaches Russian waters.
(15:02
Jarantsev:
A warship was approaching. We could tell that it was 16-17 nautical miles away. The mates that were standing beside me on the bridge thought it had to be one of ours because of its speed.
(15.12)
Jarantsev:
- I had to tell them, because I knew: Men, none of our ships will come
(15:39)
Hvidevold:
We had reinforcements. Three more coastguard cutters.
(15:44)
Jarantsev:
One came from the east, and one from the west.
(15:47)
V.O.
Four coastguard cutters, one maritime surveillance aircraft and two helicopters now take part in the chase of Elektron. ForJarantsev the situation seems hopeless. The captain sends out a distress call.
(16:09)
Jarantsev:
I reported the situation and asked for help from the Russian government. ( ) I told the captain of Tromsø that if he confronted any other Russian ships, I would run him down.
(16:34)
V.O.
Back in Murmansk, his wife Tatyana is anxiously watching the news.
(16:42)
Tatjana Jarantseva, Wife:
I had a terrible time. I never left the TV set.
(16:51)
V.O.
In Murmansk the captains desperate cry for help has finally gotten a response. The Russian government deploys a destroyer to meet Elektron.
(17:04)
Tatjana
A lot of people called me. The wives of the crew called me. People from all over the country called me. They called at all hours. This helped me to get through it. The information and all the telephone calls.
(17:25)
Jarantsev:
We started to receive messages from shore, from all over Russia.
Even from people with no connection to the sea.
(17:40)
Question:
What were these messages?
(17:43)
Jarantsev:
All kinds of things. They were supporting me. People thought I was doing the right thing.
The understanding and the support were important to me.
(17:58)
V.O:
Members of the Russian media are now referring to Jarantsev as a hero. When Elektron is close to Russian waters he finally gets the first tangible reply to his distress calls.
(18:10)
Jarantsev.
We had been pursued for 510 nautical miles. But when it was 29 nautical miles to Russian waters, the Russian destroyer came to meet us
(18:30)
Thune:
- When we met the Russian destroyer, the level of tension increased.
When we got closer to Russian waters, it got a bit tenser.
(18:47)
V.O.
The Norwegian government admits that they have lost, and decides to strike a deal with the Russian government. Russia agrees to prosecute Elektron.
(18:56)
Hvidevold
After a while we had established this solution. We had to acknowledge the fact that this was the outcome.
(19:05)
V.O.
For the Norwegians on board Elektron the drama has come to an end.
(19:10)
Jarantsev
I told them I was sorry. I said I was sorry for the inconvenience. For this turn of events.
(19:20)
V.O.
The Russian Navy transports the abducted inspectors to the coastguard cutter.
In the port city Kirkenes they are greeted as heroes by the media.
(19:32)
Thune:
They never laid a hand on us. And they gave us food.
(19:40)
V.O.
But in Murmansk no heros welcome awaits.
(19:44)
V.O.
On October 20th Elektron is towed to an enclosed part of the harbour in Murmansk. There theyre met a large number of customs officers, border guards and fishing inspectors, in addition to members of the secret police, FSB.
(20:07)
Jarantsev:
I looked down at the deck and saw all the people there. Inspectors and harbour officials, in addition to border guards and customs officers.
( ) I went down to my cabin. When they got there, I started feeling ill. It felt like I was losing my eyesight. I couldnt see anything, but I heard them speak. So they called an ambulance.
(20:40)
V.O.
Five days with the coastguard on their heels, and no sleep, had broken the Russian captain. Jarantsev suffers a heart attack.
He has to spend the next weeks in a hospital in Murmansk.
There he learns that he is being criminally charged.
(20:57)
Jarantsev:
November 1 I saw it on TV. A number of violations, overfishing was one of them.
I was also charged with abduction.
(21:16)
V.O.
Jarantsev is out of the hospital, and he is awaiting his trial.
At the harbour in Murmansk he relives the drama in the Barents Sea
together with his wife Tatjana.
He asks us to convey a message to the captain of the coastguard cutter Tromsø.
(21:33)
Jarantsev:
-I want to thank the captain of Tromsø for retaining his composure.
(21:39)
Question:
In what way?
(21:40)
Jarantsev:
I think that when he was ordered to shoot, he didnt do it. I want to thank him for that.
(21:49)
Hvidevold:
I have to thank him for that. We are both sailors and captains of a ship, with a responsibility to a ship and its crew. We are colleagues at sea. This was an isolated incident, and for me it stops here.
(22:07)
Question:
- Do you have anything to say to him?
(22:10)
Hvidevold:
- I dont have anything in particular to say to him.
(22:14)
Jarantsev:
I hope that everything will be all right. The best thing for me is to be at sea. I hope I can do that when the spring comes. The most important thing for me is to continue as a seaman.
(22:33)
V.O.
Captain Valerij Jarantsev may lose his Skippers Certificate, and potentially faces up to seven years in prison.
THE END