A Japanese harpoon ship rammed the anti-whaling vessel Bob Parker in Australian Antarctic Territory this afternoon, its owner Sea Shepherd said tonight.
No one was injured in the incident at 4.09pm NZT about 180 miles off Cape Darnley, the Sea Shepherd group said in a statement.
The organisation claimed the Yushin Maru 3 "intentionally" rammed the Bob Barker, penetrating its hull and endangering the lives of crew.
The anti-whaling craft had been actively blocking the slipway of the Nisshin Maru, the Japanese whaling fleet's factory ship when the collision occurred.
"Four harpoon ships, the Yushin Maru 1, 2, and 3 and Shonan Maru 2, were circling and making near passes to the stern and bow of the Bob Parker," Sea Shepherd said.
The Bob Barker did not move and the Yushin Maru 3 then rammed it, creating a metre-long deep gash in the ship's mid starboard side above the waterline.
The Bob Barker continues to block the mother ship' slipway preventing the transfer of dead whales and effectively shutting down whaling operations.
Sea Shepherd said the incident demonstrated a continued escalation of violence by the whalers in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
The group quoted Paul Watson, skipper of the Steve Irwin, currently en route to join the action, as saying the whalers got away scot-free with the "outrageous" recent sinking of the Ady Gil and now apparently thought they could do whatever they want.
"They appear to have no qualms about endangering Sea Shepherd crew. What we really need is for the governments of Australia and New Zealand to step up and start enforcing maritime laws in these waters, or who know what the whalers will do next. Australian and New Zealand lives are at risk every day in these waters."
The crew of the Bob Barker reported the Yushin Maru 3 stopped after the impact, and added it was possible she was damaged.
NZPA