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Iceland seizes Paul Watson Foundation’s anti-whaling ship and detains its crew
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Icelandic coast guards and special forces seized the protest vessel Bandero, operated by Paul Watson's foundation, after it ignored orders to leave Icelandic waters and stop its engines, detaining its 21 crew members aboard the ship.
- The whaling ship Hvalur 9 requested assistance due to safety concerns from the Bandero, prompting the Icelandic authorities to intervene; the Bandero arrived in Reykjavik where police took over the investigation and plan to deport the crew.
- Iceland continues commercial whaling with quotas on fin and minke whales, exporting most whale meat to Japan despite declining demand and increasing domestic controversy over the practice.
- Paul Watson, a prominent anti-whaling activist and former Sea Shepherd leader, was not on the Bandero; he has a history of confrontations with whalers, legal issues including imprisonment, and remains cautious about traveling to countries where he might face arrest.
- The Bandero has been involved in previous incidents, including a collision with a Norwegian krill trawler in Antarctica, which raised concerns about the activists' aggressive tactics and the safety of maritime operations.
