The Captain Paul Watson Foundation calls for the immediate return of its vessel and vows to continue Operation 86
REYKJAVÍK, Iceland — August 20, 2026 — Five crew members of the Bandero have now been deported from Iceland following weeks of detention and immigration proceedings. One crew member, the vessel’s chief engineer, remains in detention.
Meanwhile, the Bandero remains seized and under the control of Icelandic authorities.
On August 17, five crew members were transferred to a holding facility pending deportation. That same evening, the seized Bandero was towed from Reykjavík to Akranes, where it remains under Icelandic control.
These developments follow weeks of uncertainty for the Bandero crew after Icelandic authorities intercepted the vessel during a boat chase connected to Operation 86, the Captain Paul Watson Foundation’s campaign opposing and exposing commercial whaling in Iceland.
Crew members were detained and subjected to immigration proceedings, with limited communication access during the initial detention period.
In some cases, crew members waited approximately 48 hours before contacting their families to confirm they were safe.
Several crew members also returned home without their cellphones and other personal belongings. Those items remain in the possession of Icelandic authorities and are expected to be searched as part of the ongoing investigation.
The Captain Paul Watson Foundation continues to work with legal counsel regarding the seizure of the Bandero, the treatment and detention of its crew, and the ongoing investigation.
The Foundation’s immediate priority is securing the vessel’s return and resuming the work interrupted by the seizure.
“We want our ship back so we can get back to our mission. Operation 86 was stopped before our work was finished. This is not the end of Operation 86.”
— Jonny Velasquez
Although most of the Bandero crew have now been sent home and the vessel has been moved to another port, the Foundation maintains that the mission remains unfinished.
The Captain Paul Watson Foundation will continue to pursue the return of the Bandero and its efforts to oppose commercial whaling.
Media Contact:
Captain Paul Watson Foundation
[email protected]
