A Greenpeace ship stormed after a protest against oil drilling in Arctic waters is being towed toward the nearest port, the Russian coastguard has confirmed.
As many as 30 activists, including six Britons, were thought to be aboard the Amsterdam-registered Arctic Sunrise when it was stormed by Russian forces last night.
The environmental campaign group claimed 15 armed men boarded the ship by helicopter on Thursday night, a day after members had tried to get on board the Prirazlomnaya rig.
Today Russian authorities said the captain had refused to operate the craft, which will now be towed to Murmansk by Coast Guard officials. The trip is expected to take three to four days.
The campaign group organised protests outside Russian embassies today after last night’s incident.
Two activists who were captured by Coast Guard after trying to climb onto the Gazprom-owned rig are understood to have been returned to the Arctic Sunrise.
“The safety of our activists remains our top priority and we are working hard to establish what is facing them,” said Ben Ayliffe, head of Greenpeace’s Arctic oil campaign.
“They have done nothing to warrant this level of aggression and have been entirely peaceful throughout.
“In our last phone call with the ship, the crew said that their spirits remains high and they have been boosted by messages of support from thousands of people who stand with them to oppose dangerous Arctic oil drilling.”
The Foreign Office said it had asked the Russian authorities for consular access to the British crewmembers.
Russian authorities had accused the activists of ‘aggressive and provocative’ behaviour after the incident on Wednesday.
“The intruders’ actions were of aggressive and provocative character and had the outward signs of extremist activity that can lead to people’s death and other grave consequences,” the country’s foreign ministry said.
Meanwhile new footage of the moment the Greenpeace vessel was fired upon by a Russian coastguard ship has emerged.