Iceland seizes Paul Watson Foundation’s anti-whaling ship, detains 21 crew members

Icelandic coast guards and special forces seized a ship operated by a group founded by anti-whaling activist Paul Watson and detained its crew, officials in the Arctic island nation said Saturday.

An animal-rights activist from Saskatchewan is among those detained off the coast of Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, on a ship operated by a group founded by anti-whaling activist Paul Watson.

Watson has a history with confronting whaling vessels, and was removed from Interpol’s most-wanted list in 2025. Iceland is one of the only countries still practicing commercial whaling

The Icelandic Coast Guard said the crew of whaling ship Hvalur 9 requested assistance on Thursday evening because they believed their safety was under threat from the protest vessel Bandero. Watson was not aboard.

The Icelandic Coast Guard said the crew of whaling ship Hvalur 9 requested assistance on Thursday evening because they believed their safety was under threat from the protest vessel Bandero. Watson was not aboard.

Whaling ship Hvalur 9 requested assistance because they believed their safety was under threat from the protest vessel Bandero

Icelandic coast guards and special forces have seized a ship operated by a group founded by anti-whaling activist Paul Watson

Iceland seizes Paul Watson Foundation’s anti-whaling ship and detains its crew  AP News