Plut Ship Tempts Fate & Chilean Navy

[The.Greenbase@gb.greenpeace.org]

>> NUCLEAR WASTE SHIP TEMPTS FATE AND CHILEAN NAVY AT CAPE HORN;  


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                    GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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>> NUCLEAR WASTE SHIP TEMPTS FATE AND CHILEAN NAVY AT CAPE HORN;  
           GREENPEACE CALLS ROUTE IRRESPONSIBLE
 
TIERRA DEL FUEGO, Chile March 20 1995 (GP) Despite dramatic storm
conditions and a ban by the Chilean government, the British
flagged ship, Pacific Pintail carrying 14 tonnes of nuclear waste
has entered Chilean waters off of Cape Horn.  Greenpeace called
the route "irresponsible."
 
"Rounding Cape Horn with a cargo of nuclear waste is an act of
mad desperation" said Bas Bruyne on board the Greenpeace vessel,
MV Solo.  "Those in charge are acting with the reckless abandon
of criminals trying to escape the law.  They have driven into the
storm and now seek a confrontation with the Chilean navy."  
The British flagged ship Pacific Pintail left the French port of
Cherbourg on February 23rd with it's cargo of highly radioactive
nuclear waste bound for Japan.  The transport departed under
intense secrecy with British, French and Japanese authorities
unwilling to disclose basic information about the shipment, it's
route, emergency plans or liability coverage.  Tens of countries
from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America and the South
Pacific protested the departure of the unprecedented plutonium
waste transport.
 
Protest in the Caribbean and Central America deterred the
transport from taking it's preferred route through the Caribbean
Sea and the Panama Canal.  Instead, the Pintail has sailed along
the coast of South America despite protest from the potentially
affected coastal nations of Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. 
 
During the last couple of weeks, the Chilean Assembly and Senate
have voted unanimously to prohibit the Pintail from entering the
economic exclusion zone (EEZ) waters under Chilean jurisdiction. 
Consequently the Chilean government issued a statement banning
the ship from their waters, and the Chilean navy has stated that
it will enforce the prohibition.  
 
During the last 24 hours the Pintail has met with the kind of
extreme storm conditions for which Cape Horn is well known.  Gale
force winds have blown gusting up to 70 knots per hour with 10
metre waves.
 
On Sunday March 19th at approximately 1800 GMT, a Chilean navy
surveillance airplane flew over the Pintail and the Greenpeace
ship MV Solo, which is following the nuclear waste transport.  As
the nuclear freighter approached to within some 30 miles of
Chilean waters off of Cape Horn officials on the aircraft
notified the captain of the Pintail that the ship was not to
enter the territorial or EEZ waters of Chile.  The British
captain protested the prohibition and stated that he would be
contacting the ship's owner and the British government for
instructions.  Chilean officials responded by reiterating that
the Pintail was not to enter Chilean waters.[1]
 
"It is clear that British, French and Japanese authorities think
that they have the right to endanger the public health and
environment in other countries." said Bruyne. "In support of
their plutonium programmes these countries are acting in arrogant
disregard of democracy and denying the rights of other nations." 
 
ENDS
 
For Further Information Please Contact:
 
Bas Bruyne on the Solo: ++871-1301166--$10 per minute
Karen Richardson at Greenpeace UK: ++44-171-226-3151 
Damon Moglen, Greenpeace International at Tierra del Fuego  (++54
901 21460 room 204).
Blair Palese, Greenpeace Communications: (++44-171-833-0600)  
 
Notes to Editors:
 
[1] The transcript of the contact between the Pacific Pintail and
the Chilean navy is available in written or recorded format. 
Telex communication between the Pacific Pintail and the Chilean
Authorities is also available as a copy was sent to MV Solo for
the information of Greenpeace.