Update from the Rainbow Warrior

25 February, 5:15 am. Greenpeace activists have departed the Rainbow Warrior on inflatable boats and are bound for the Agia Irene. The Agia Irene, anchored only a few kilometres away outside the port of Sete in southern France, is carrying hundreds of logs from Liberia. Our intent is to prevent this ship from unloading its cargo: illegal and destructively logged timber from Africa's ancient forests. France and other European countries must stop importing this wood and destroying ancient forests before the forests are gone forever.

5:30 am. The activists have boarded the ship. Two crew members have blocked the anchor chain, preventing the ship from going to port. Pete has explained to the captain of the Agia Irene that this is a nonviolent protest and that no one will be injured and no gear damaged. (Listen to the audio file for communications from the bridge.)

7:00 am. The sun is rising and the Agia Irene is going nowhere, at least for now. We will wait as we remind European governments that since the Earth Summit in Rio ten years ago, they have failed to keep their promises to protect ancient forests. In the past ten years, deforestation levels have risen and species face the greatest risk of extinction since the emergence of humans. For ten years governments have done nothing but talk. The time has come to stop talking and take action.

You can help by sending a message to your government's officials. Please take action now.

10:00 am. Another set of activists has left the Rainbow Warrior to paint the logs and the side of the ship. We do not want anyone to forget what these logs symbolise. Campaigner Tim Birch explains the importance of this campaign in his audio update.

10:30 am. The Agia Irene has unblocked her anchor. She is showing signs of trying to go into port. A police boat has approached and is circling the Greenpeace activists who remain in inflatables at the scene. Pete explains the situation in his audio update.

12:00 pm. The Agia Irene has turned off her engines. She will stay put, at least for a while. In the meantime, the activists aboard the log boat are continuing to paint the logs and, we hope, find time to drink water and eat some food.

4:00 pm. The activists on the Agia Irene have been examining logos to identify the logging companies. Two of the companies - Inland Logging Company ( ILC) and Mohammed Group of Companies (MGC) - have a documented history of violating national and international forestry law and creating serious social conflicts. According to a United Nations Security Council report of October 2001, the chairman of MGC has been involved in aiding sanctions-busting arms transfers to Liberia. The ship is laden with hundreds of logs bearing these logos.