Anti-whaling boat struck by Japanese whaling ship

Anti-whaling group the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society says one of its boat has been struck by a Japanese whaling ship in waters off Antarctica.

The society says its vessel was hit near Commonwealth Bay. Three meters of its bow were knocked off. The boat's six crew members were safely transferred to another vessel.

The clash was the most serious in the past several years.

The conservationists have sent vessels into far-southern waters to try to harass the Japanese fleet into ending its annual whale hunt.

A protest ship has been holed in a collision with Japanese whalers on the high seas, Australian Associated Press reports Wednesday.