Japanese whalers attack Sea Shepherd ships in Southern Ocean
Sea Shepherd says co-ordinated assault came as it tried to prevent loading of poached whales
Militant anti-whaling campaigners Sea Shepherd said one of their ships was rammed during "aggressive" and "unprovoked" confrontations with a Japanese fleet in the Southern Ocean.
Sea Shepherd said one of its vessels, the Bob Barker, was struck during a co-ordinated attack by the Japanese fleet's three harpoon ships as they attempted to drive the campaigners away from the factory ship Nisshin Maru.
"The Bob Barker was hit by the Japanese whaling fleet's harpoon vessel, the Yushin Maru No 2, as the harpoon vessel crossed in front of the bow of the Sea Shepherd ship," the activist group said yesterday.
Watch: Japanese whaling ship attacks Sea Shepherd ship
"The assault is an attempt to deter the Sea Shepherd ships from their current position, blocking the slipway of the Nisshin Maru, preventing the whalers from loading whales poached from the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary."
The group has three ships out this season, the Bob Barker, Steve Irwin and Sam Simon.