A protester has daringly boarded a Japanese whaling vessel on the high seas to stage a citizen's arrest of its skipper.
New Zealander Pete Bethune waited for the Shonan Maru 2 ship early on Monday morning on a jet ski, being driven by another protester, under the cover of darkness.
Captain Bethune was the skipper of the sunken protest vessel the Ady Gill and wants the whalers to face attempted murder charges.
He clambered aboard, despite the Japanese ship being hung with nets and anti-boarding spikes.
"The first attempt he actually fell in the water and the jet ski went back and retrieved him. (The crew) still didn't notice," Sea Shepherd chief Paul Watson told AAP.
"It was extremely dangerous. He was boarding a ship going at 15 knots in total darkness in Southern Ocean waters, which are extremely frigid."
The incident occurred in international waters between Heard Island and Antarctica. There are unconfirmed reports that Captain Bethune has received medical attention for an injury to his hand.
Captain Watson said the Japanese crew did not notice Captain Bethune, who hid on top of the wheelhouse, until he knocked on the door and handed over a letter in Japanese saying "I am here to arrest you".
The Ady Gill, a high-speed stealth vessel, sank after a collision with the whaling fleet in early January.
The Sea Shepherd has blamed the whalers and wants the skipper arrested to face attempted murder charges.
Captain Bethune also presented a bill for $US3 million ($A3.38 million) to replace the Ady Gill. As of Monday evening he was still on board the Japanese vessel and says he won't return to the Sea Shepherd ship.
Japan's pro-whaling Institute of Cetacean Research issued a statement accusing Captain Bethune of a stunt. He had "illegally boarded" the Shonan Maru 2 in a "publicity stunt", the Institute said.
The Institute hinted that without an Australian government vessel there to supervise matters, it would be hard to return the protester to the Sea Shepherd vessel.
The statement noted that when protesters boarded a Japanese vessel two years ago, the Australian customs vessel the Oceanic Viking passed them back to their ship.
"In this latest incident, there is no vessel available to act as a go between to return Mr Bethune," the statement said.
The Australian government has refused to send a vessel to monitor the whaling wars this summer, despite calls to do so from the federal opposition and the Australian Greens.
The Japanese whalers have accused the protesters of causing the collision which holed the Ady Gill, and say the protesters have used dangerous and illegal tactics against them.
The Japanese whaling fleet and protesters have been locked in a tense struggle in Antarctic waters this summer.
Commercial whaling is banned internationally, but Japan is allowed to hunt hundreds of whales a year in the name of scientific research.
Australian Greens leader Bob Brown praised Captain Bethune for his "extraordinary courage".
"I call on the sleeping Rudd government to insist Captain Bethune is treated responsibly and brought back to Australia or New Zealand as soon as feasible," Senator Brown said.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said the activities taking place in the whale clashes were "downright dangerous" and called for calm heads to prevail.
Mr Key said stunts such as Captain Bethune's would not help end whaling.
He will also present the Japanese with a bill to replace the vessel.
The society said Captain Bethune did not want to return to the protest mother ship without the skipper of the Japanese vessel.
The Japanese whaling fleet and protesters have been locked in a tense struggle in Antarctic waters this summer.
Commercial whaling is banned internationally, but Japan is allowed to hunt hundreds of whales a year for scientific research.
Sea Shepherd boss Paul Watson, who is at sea chasing the whalers, said the boarding in darkness was very difficult for Captain Bethune.
"The first attempt he actually fell in the water and the jet ski went back and retrieved him. (The crew) still didn't notice," Captain Watson told AAP.
"It was extremely dangerous. He was boarding a ship going at 15 knots in total darkness in Southern Ocean waters, which are extremely frigid."
Secret mission
Captain Bethune clambered aboard despite nets and anti-boarding spikes, and evaded detection by hiding on top of the wheelhouse for 90 minutes.
When dawn broke he knocked on the door and presented his orders for the skipper to surrender.
According to Captain Watson, a Japanese crew member emerged to look for the boat on which Captain Bethune had arrived. Finding none, the crew member then went back inside, leaving Captain Bethune standing there.
"Pete opened the door and walked into the wheelhouse ... that's the last we've heard of him," Captain Watson said.
The boarding took place in international waters, not in Australian waters.
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