Australian Naval History on 12 April 2001

The MV SOUTH TOMI, was boarded by a combined RAN/Australian Army boarding party and escorted back to Australia as part of Operation Teebone. The vessel had been spotted illegally fishing in Australian waters, (near Heard Island), on 29 March by an Australian Fisheries vessel. The Australian vessel gave chase after SOUTH TOMI fled westwards towards South Africa. The ADF boarding team was flown from Australia to South Africa and then embarked in the South African Navy Ships PROTEA and GALEWHEWE, which intercepted SOUTH TOMI on 12April. The pursuit of the SOUTH TOMI had taken 15, days and covered over 4,000 km.