As the Bob Barker was closing in on the fleeing Nisshin Maru, the floating Japanese abattoir illegally hunting whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, two harpoon vessels, Yushin Maru No. 2 and Yushin Maru No. 3, turned and headed straight for the Sea Shepherd ship, Bob Barker, which was under the command of Swedish captain Peter Hammarstedt.

Darkness was rapidly closing in and snow was beginning to fall, when in a desperate move to throw the Bob Barker off the back of the Nisshin Maru, the two harpoon vessels began passing dangerously across the bow of the Bob Barker dragging 300 meter long, thick cables to foul the prop of the Bob Barker.