Tooth fish captain dies in alc 
2003 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance
The captain of a Russian fishing boat which allegedly poached Patagonian toothfish from Australian waters has died in hospital, more than three weeks after drinking cleaning fluid mixed with orange juice.
The man had been critically ill and in a coma since drinking the potentially lethal cocktail during a binge with two other Russian nationals aboard their detained vessel, the Volga.
It is believed the trio had mistaken an Indonesian-labelled bottle of cleaning fluid for alcohol.
The Russian captain died in Fremantle Hospital on Saturday night, a hospital spokesman said.
Six Spanish nationals aboard the Volga and another Russian fishing ship, the Lena, were charged with poaching Patagonian toothfish worth $2.5 million after being captured last month by the Australian Navy.
The six were charged after the Volga and Lena were intercepted by HMAS Canberra.
Crew of the Navy vessel took control of the boats after rappelling from a helicopter in dangerous manoeuvres in high seas near Antarctica on February 6 and 7.
AAP
Submitted on 03/18/2002
Submitted by:
Mike Peters
Reference:
Sydney Morning Herald, 19 Marc
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