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December, 2014: In the forbidding waters off Antarctica, Captain Hammarstedt of the Bob Barker sets off on a voyage unlike any seen before. Across ten thousand miles of hazardous seas, Hammarstedt's crew will relentlessly pursue the Thunder – an infamous illegal fishing ship – for what will become the longest chase in maritime history. Wanted by Interpol, the Thunder has for years evaded justice: hunting endangered species and accumulating millions in profits.
The authors follow this incredible expedition from the beginning. But even as seasoned journalists, they cannot anticipate what the chase will uncover, as the wake of the Thunder leads them to trail of criminal kingpins, rampant corruption, modern slavery and an international community content to turn a blind eye. Very soon, catching Thunder becomes not only a chase but a pursuit of the truth itself and a symbolic race to preserve the well-being of our planet.
Originally published in Norwegian as Jakten på Thunder, the book became a Scandinavian bestseller. Now translated into English, Catching Thunder is a remarkable true story of courage and perseverance, and a wake-up call to act against the destruction of our environments.
1. The Pirate
2. The Bandit 6
3. Operation Icefish
4. The Occupation
5. Hot Pursuit
6. Operation Spillway
7. The Ice
8. Vesturvon
9. The Pirate Capital
10. The Storm
11. The Secret Channel
12. The Longest Day
13. The Shipmaster
14. Desolation Island
15. The Phantom Ship
16. The Wall of Death
17. The World Record
18. “The Only Sheriff in Town”
19. The Flying Mariner
20. A Bloody Nightmare
21. La Mafia Gallega
22. God’s Fingerprint
23. Buenas tardes, Bob Barker
24. Message in a Bottle
25. Raid on the High Seas
26. Operation Sparrow
27. Exercise Good Hope
28. The Bird of Ill Omen
29. The Wanderer
30. The Man in the Arena
31. The Third Ship
32. “You are nothing”
33. The Snake in Paradise
34. The Armpit of Africa
35. Mayday
36. A Weird Dream
37. A Last Resort
38. The Island of Rumours
39. 48 Hours
40. Three Condemned Men
41. The Luck of the Draw
42. The Escape
43. The Unluckiest Ship in the World
44. The Judgment
45. Prisoners Island
46. The Man from Mongolia
47. The Last Viking
48. Operation Yuyus
49. The Tiantai Mystery
50. A Dirty Business
51. The Showdown
52. The Madonna and the Octopus
53. The Final Act
Eskil Engdal and Kjetil Sæter are journalists for the Norwegian broadsheet Dagens Naeringsliv. They have both been recipients of the prestigious SKUP award for investigative journalism, in addition to numerous other awards and distinctions. This is their first book to be translated into English.
"Captain Hammarstedt's bravery and spirit ride as high as the bow of the Bob Barker. True adventure, life and death moments, and real life heroism: what reader could ask for more?"
– Ingrid Newkirk, President, PETA
"Engdal and Sæter are to journalism what Jagger and Richards are to rock and roll – sexy, irreverent and brilliant."
– Luke Harding, Guardian journalist and author of The Snowden Files
"This is the story of our time: the blind destruction of the oceans and our ecosphere, and the actions of those with the courage to stand up and confront it."
– Peter Heller, author of The Whale Warriors and Celine
"The pursuit of the Thunder has become celebrated folklore by those of us fighting to protect our oceans. This is a captivating story, one which highlights the weaknesses in the global system but also, ultimately, gives us hope."
– Tony Long, CEO, Global Fishing Watch
