Icelandic authorities seized a ship belonging to the Captain Paul Watson Foundation after a confrontation at sea. The Icelandic Coast Guard and the elite Viking Squad boarded the protest vessel Bandero in Icelandic waters around midnight on Thursday.
The intervention occurred after the crew of a local whaling ship, Hvalur 9, requested assistance. The whaling crew reported that their safety was under threat from the approaching protest vessel. According to coast guard reports, the Bandero ignored official commands to depart the area and subsequently failed to stop its engines as directed.
All 21 crew members on the Bandero are now in custody in Reykjavik, where police have initiated an investigation. Reports indicate that local authorities intend to pursue deportation and a permanent ban from Icelandic waters for those involved. Paul Watson was not present on the vessel during this incident.
Iceland remains one of the few nations that allow commercial whaling alongside Norway and Japan. While the country maintains annual quotas for fin and minke whales, domestic consumption of whale meat has declined significantly. Much of the product is intended for export to Japan, though demand there has also dropped in recent years.
This incident follows recent legal battles for Paul Watson, who was released from custody in Greenland late last year following a detention related to a Japanese warrant. His tactics continue to spark debate, as maritime firms have increasingly voiced concerns over the risks posed to vessels and personnel during these high-seas encounters.