Six climbers who boarded an oil rig in the Pacific have now left after worsening weather conditions caused them to halt their activities.
Last week the group had scaled the Transocean-owned rig, which they claim is being sent to the Arctic by Shell.
The oil giant, which announced plans to by BG Group earlier this month, had been seeking an injunction from a US federal court in Alaska to remove the six from the Polar Pioneer.
A spokeswoman for Greenpeace said the impending weather conditions could have brought swells of up to seven metres.
Annie Leonard, executive director of Greenpeace USA, said: “I am so inspired and impressed by the volunteers’ decision to climb Shell’s drill rig. I hope everyone who sees what they did is inspired to take action in their own way, to help save the Arctic.
“It’s astounding that Shell seems to think it has the right to jeopardize our environment and our economy, without being accountable to society. I thank the climbers for being society’s eyes and ears on Shell’s rig, letting them know that millions of us are watching their every move, because there is simply no such a thing as ‘safe’ drilling in the Arctic.”
