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The Sea Shepherd Society’s anti-whaling and the Japanese whaling ship Yushin Maru No.3 collide in the waters of Antarctica on Saturday. (Institute of Cetacean Research/Associated Press)

The Bob Barker anti-whaling ship and a Japanese harpoon boat collided in icy Antarctic waters Saturday in the second major clash this year in increasingly aggressive confrontations between conservationists and the whaling fleet.

No one was injured in the collision, which each side blamed on the other.

The U.S.-based activist group Sea Shepherd, which sends vessels to confront the Japanese fleet each year, accused the Japanese ship of deliberately ramming the Bob Barker — named after the former game-show host who donated millions of dollars for the anti-whaling group to buy it.

But Japan’s Fisheries Agency said the activist boat caused the collision by suddenly approaching the harpoon vessel No. 3 Yushin Maru to throw bottles containing terrible-smelling butyric acid at the Japanese ship.

The agency accused Sea Shepherd of “an act of sabotage” and noting the Japanese expedition is allowed under world whaling regulations as a scientific expedition. Conservationists call the annual hunt a cover for commercial whaling.

Neither side’s account could be verified. Video shot from the Bob Barker and released by Sea Shepherd shows the two ships side by side, moving quickly through the water. The ships come closer together and the Japanese ship then appears to turn away, but its stern swings sharply toward the Bob Barker.

The collision is obscured by spray, but a loud clanging noise can be heard before the vessels separate.

Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson said a one-metre-long, 10-centimetre-wide hole was torn in the Bob Barker’s hull, but it was above the water line and was not a threat to the ship. The Japanese agency said Yushin Maru sustained minor hurt to its handrail and hull.

The collision was the second this year between a Sea Shepherd boat and the Japanese fleet.

On Jan. 6, a Japanese whaler struck Sea Shepherd’s high-tech speedboat Ady Gil and sheared off its nose. The Bob Barker then came to rescue the crew of the Ady Gil, which sank a day later.

The governments of Australia and New Zealand, which have responsibility for maritime rescue in the area where the hunt is usually conducted, say the fight between the two sides is becoming increasingly perilous and have repeatedly urged them to tone it down.

The Haitian lawyer for 10 U.S. Baptist missionaries charged with child kidnapping tried to bribe their way out of jail and has been fired, the attorney who hired him said Saturday night.

Laura Silsby, 40, centre, the leader of a group of 10 American missionaries being held in Haiti, and Charisa Coulter, 24, left, both of Meridian, Idaho, are escorted out of the court building in Port-au-Prince on Thursday. (Rodrigo Abdjorge/Associated Press)The Haitian lawyer, Edwin Coq, denied the allegation. He said the $60,000 US he requested from the Americans’ families was his fee.

Jorge Puello, the attorney in the neighbouring Dominican Republic retained by relatives of the 10 missionaries after their arrest last week, told The Associated Press that he fired Coq on Friday night. He had hired Coq to represent the detainees at Haitian legal proceedings.

Coq orchestrated “some kind of extortion with government officials” that would have led to the release of nine of the 10 missionaries, Puello charged.

“He had some people inside the court that questioned him for money and he was part of this scheme,” Puello said.

Coq denied the charge.

“I have worked for 10 people for four days working all hours,” he said. “Look at what hour I’m working now, responding to these calls. I have the right to this money.”

On Friday, Coq had told AP that he was working for no fee.

Puello said Coq initially requested $10,000 US but kept asking for larger and larger amounts. He said that when Coq reached $60,000 US, he said he could guarantee it would lead to the Americans’ release.

A magistrate charged the group’s members Thursday with child kidnapping and criminal association for trying to take 33 children out of earthquake-ravaged Haiti without the proper documents.

The Americans said they were on a humanitarian mission to rescue orphans. But at least 20 of the children had living parents.

Coq said Thursday that the group’s leader, Laura Silsby of Meridian, Idaho, deceived the others by telling them she had the proper documents to remove the children from Haiti.

Puello raised similar concerns. He said that he warned Silsby on the day the group was detained at the border that she lacked the required papers and risked being arrested for child trafficking.

Questioned if Silsby had deceived the other nine Baptists in assuring them she had the proper papers, Puello said, “I believe that is right.”

P.E.I. skip Kathy O’Rourke, right, and third Geri-Lynn Ramsay, smile after defeating Ontario 10-6 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., on Saturday. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

Kathy O’Rourke is taking Prince Edward Island to the final of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts for the first time.

O’Rourke’s rink defeated Ontario’s Krista McCarville 10-6 in the semifinal Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., to advance to Sunday’s final against two-time defending champion Jennifer Jones.

O’Rourke took an early 5-1 lead through three draws and gave small ground en route to the victory.