Greenpeace International claims it has "driven" the Japanese whaling fleet out of the hunting grounds in the Antarctic. The group's ship, the Esperanza, came into contact with the fleet Jan. 12, after a 10-day search.

The antiwhaling activists radioed a message to the whalers, saying that if they attempted to kill any whales, Greenpeace staff would take nonviolent direct action to prevent the hunt.

The group suspects that the fleet is planning to refuel soon and offload whale meat that has been processed onto the Panamanian-registered tanker Oriental Bluebird.