The environmental group Greenpeace says Russian authorities have boarded its ship in the Kara Sea during a protest against Arctic oil drilling.
Greenpeace said Monday the Russian Coast Guard boarded the Arctic Sunrise without permission after the environmental group launched inflatable boats with banners reading "Save the Arctic" near an oil exploration vessel. The vessel is under contract to Russian-state-owned Resneft and U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil.
Greenpeace Arctic campaigner Christy Ferguson said offshore Arctic drilling should be banned, "especially in a remote sanctuary for threatened species like polar bears and narwhals where an oil spill would be impossible to clean up."
She said Greenpeace was observing an area of "great natural beauty where independent observers are notably absent."
Russia had denied permission for the Greenpeace ship to enter the Kara Sea, but the ship entered the waters Saturday morning.
Russia has yet to comment on Monday's boarding of the group's ship.
Greenpeace said Monday the Russian Coast Guard boarded the Arctic Sunrise without permission after the environmental group launched inflatable boats with banners reading "Save the Arctic" near an oil exploration vessel. The vessel is under contract to Russian-state-owned Resneft and U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil.
Greenpeace Arctic campaigner Christy Ferguson said offshore Arctic drilling should be banned, "especially in a remote sanctuary for threatened species like polar bears and narwhals where an oil spill would be impossible to clean up."
She said Greenpeace was observing an area of "great natural beauty where independent observers are notably absent."
Russia had denied permission for the Greenpeace ship to enter the Kara Sea, but the ship entered the waters Saturday morning.
Russia has yet to comment on Monday's boarding of the group's ship.