Aussie activists held on whaling ship

Whaling. Photo / Thinkstock

The Australian Government is being pressed to take swift action to secure the release of three activists detained on board a Japanese whaling security ship.

The West Australians from the Forest Rescue environmental group boarded the Japanese security vessel Shonan Maru No 2 in what they said were Australian waters off Bunbury yesterday.

The daring mission was aimed at forcing the Japanese vessel to stop tailing the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's flagship, the Steve Irwin, which returned to Australia at the weekend to deliver damaged anti-whaling ship the Brigitte Bardot for repairs.

The men climbed past razorwire and spikes to board the Japanese ship and deliver a message: "Return us to shore in Australia and then remove yourself from our waters."

But the Shonan Maru No 2 yesterday persisted with its pursuit of the Steve Irwin, with the Australians on board.

A spokesman for the whalers, Glenn Inwood of the Institute of Cetacean Research, confirmed the men were on board the vessel.

"They are unhurt, they are being questioned and there has been no decision on anything beyond that at this stage."

New Zealand-based Mr Inwood said it was wrong to say the incident happened in Australian waters. "Australia has legal jurisdiction out to 12 miles. The equivalent is 19km. This ... happened at 40km out."

Sea Shepherd's captain, Paul Watson, urged the Government to take action before the vessels left Australian waters.

"I think the Australian Government would be very embarrassed if an armed Japanese vessel can just pick up Australian citizens in Australia and then take them away to Japan," he said.

The three activists are Geoffrey Owen Tuxworth, 47, of Perth, Simon Peterffy, 44, of Bunbury, and Glen Pendlebury, 27, of Fremantle. AAP