A Greenpeace icebreaker in the Russian Arctic without permission to protest offshore energy exploration says it is leaving after being threatened with gunfire.
Crew on board the Arctic Sunrise say the ship is steaming out of the Kara Sea after being boarded and searched by the Russian coast guard.
Crew member Christy Ferguson says four unarmed coast guard officers boarded the ship early this morning after the Arctic Sunrise deployed several small boats to protest the activities of a seismic ship.
That ship is operated by a Russian oil company and western multinational ExxonMobil.
She says there were 4 1/2 hours of negotiation before the Greenpeace crew was told that it must leave or be fired on.
The ship is now heading back to Norwegian seas under escort by the coast guard.
We have decided to leave the Kara Sea and the Northern Sea Route (NSR) under threat of force from the Russian Coast Guard. #SaveTheArctic
— Arctic Sunrise (@gp_sunrise) August 26, 2013
The Coast Guard warned us it would use force if necessary, including opening fire on the ship, if we would not leave. #SaveTheArctic
— Arctic Sunrise (@gp_sunrise) August 26, 2013
Activists unfurl a banner in front of the Coast Guard ship as the Russian authorities try to board us. #SaveTheArctic pic.twitter.com/8rxmGUgt54
— Arctic Sunrise (@gp_sunrise) August 26, 2013