'Wild Viking' Jarle Andhøy detained by Chilean Navy

by Sail-World Cruising round-up on 2 Apr 2012 After a much publicised illegal voyage from New Zealand to Antarctica with a 'stowaway' on board and then across the Southern Ocean to South America, the 'Wild Viking' Jarle Andhøy and his crew on their yacht Nilaya have been detained by an armed Chilean Navy vessel, in Chilean waters.

Earlier this year the television documentary maker and adventure sailor had been deported from Canada before flying to New Zealand where he purchased a yacht, Nilaya.

Andhøy, 34, had then sailed the 16-metre steel yacht, Nilaya, through the same area of Antarctica in which his earlier yacht Berserk disappeared during a fierce storm on February 22 last year with the loss of the lives of three of his crew. He had been on land, riding quad bikes with another crew member trying to reach the South Pole when his yacht was lost.

Andhøy had this time again departed New Zealand illegally for Antarctica with a 'stowaway' on board, New Zealand citizen Busby Noble, saying he wanted to investigate the circumstances of the loss of the Beserk.

At the time of their rapid departure from New Zealand it was uncertain whether Noble's presence on the yacht was a voluntary or not. Andhøy had said that they 'didn't notice' that the workman was on board when they left 'in a hurry'.

He then ruled out a return to New Zealand because he and his crew believed that they were likely to face prosecution there over their voyage to Antarctica and instead headed for South America.

Andhøys lawyer, Nils Jorgen Vordahl, said the naval vessel stopped the boat at 21 o'clock Saturday night. Andhøy and the rest of the crew of four were then in Chilean waters on their way to Argentina. According Vordahl both crew and boat are now guarded by armed military personnel.

Norwegian news outlet NRK the Chilean Coast Guard says they stopped the boat because of an 'expression of concern from New Zealand' concerning the presence on board of the 'stowaway'.

'We are cooperating with the authorities in New Zealand to determine whether the 'stowaway' passenger is voluntary or not,' said Commander Ricardo Velasquez.