"Whaling Ship 'Rammed' Protest Boat: Sea Shepherd"

"SYDNEY -- Anti-whaling protest group Sea Shepherd said a Japanese whaling vessel 'intentionally rammed' one of its protest boats on Saturday during a standoff in Antarctic waters.

The harpoon ship Yushin Maru 3 hit the protesters' vessel Bob Barker off Cape Darnley in Australia's Antarctic territory, penetrating its hull, the group said in a statement posted on its website.

Despite the incident, which occurred in the early afternoon eastern Australian time, the Bob Barker continued to try to block the activities of Nisshin Maru, the factory ship of the Japanese whaling fleet, the group said."

Reuters had the story February 9, 2010.

See Also:

"Whaler and Activist Ship Collide Off Antarctica" (AP)

"Anti-Whalers, Japanese Fleet Fire Water Cannons" (AP)