Kathmandu— On Thursday evening, Icelandic coast guards and police special forces seized a ship operated by the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, an anti-whaling organization founded by activist Paul Watson. The vessel, named Bandero, was detained in Reykjavik following its refusal to comply with instructions from authorities to leave Icelandic waters and stop its engines. The 21 crew members were taken into custody without their phones.

Incident Details

The incident began when the whaling ship Hvalur 9 requested assistance from Icelandic coast guards, claiming that its safety was threatened by the Bandero. Despite repeated instructions to leave Icelandic waters and cease operations, the Bandero continued to operate, leading to the intervention of special forces who boarded the vessel around midnight on Thursday. The crew members were subsequently detained aboard the ship in Reykjavik.

The Captain Paul Watson Foundation confirmed that its vessel had been seized and stated that the crew was being held without access to their phones. Police have taken over the investigation, with reports suggesting that they will seek to deport the crew and ban them from returning to Iceland.

Background on Whaling in Iceland

Iceland is one of a few countries still practicing commercial whaling alongside Norway and Japan. The country sets annual quotas for fin whales and minke whales, with most whale meat exported to Japan. However, demand for whale meat has declined since Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after leaving the International Whaling Commission (IWC). In Iceland, whale meat consumption is now rare.

Paul Watson, a Canadian-born activist who founded the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, left Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in 2022. Known for his confrontational tactics against whalers, Watson was imprisoned in Greenland from June to December 2024 over charges of obstructing a Japanese whaling ship in 2010.

(With inputs from AP)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.