Steve Irwin offered to help search for missing whaler: captain
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The Japanese say this photo shows the Steve Irwin turning up with its lights off. (AAP: Institute of Cetacean Research)
The captain of the ship accused of harassing a Japanese whaling ship as it searched for a missing sailor says he has proof on tape of what really happened.
The Steve Irwin's captain Paul Watson says his ship offered a helicopter to assist in the search but it was refused.
He says the allegations that they tried to disrupt the search is simply a tactic to discredit their anti-whaling cause.
"We did not protest, harass them in any way in that search. We have an independent film crew on board they filmed it, we have the audio of our conversation with them when we specifically told them that we are not there to harass them but to assist them," he said.
"These are completely false allegations."
A spokesman for the Japanese ship's operators, Glenn Inwood, says the Steve Irwin did not respond to initial calls for help, falsely claiming it was not in the area.
"Sea Shepherd did not respond but they put in a press statement that they couldn't go back to where they were because they were heading to Hobart," he said.
"But that was in fact a lie and they did actually head back under the cover of darkness and turned up with their lights off."