Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, UNITED KINGDOM - For the second time in as many days, yachts from the Nuclear Free Irish Sea Flotilla have protested the transport of nuclear materials through the Irish Sea. Tuesday morning at 8.30 am six of the flotilla boats protested the arrival of the Pacific Pintail and Pacific Teal into Barrow docks near Sellafield at the end of the ships’ infamous 18,000 mile journey from Japan to the UK.
As the Pacific Pintail, carrying its cargo of rejected plutonium mixed oxide (MOX), approached Barrow through the Walney Channel it encountered a peaceful protest with a simple message - "Stop Nuclear Transports".
The boats involved in Tuesday's protest were from the Republic of Ireland, Britain and the Isle of Man
As the Pacific Pintail, carrying its cargo of rejected plutonium mixed oxide (MOX), approached Barrow through the Walney Channel it encountered a peaceful protest with a simple message - "Stop Nuclear Transports".
The boats involved in Tuesday's protest were from the Republic of Ireland, Britain and the Isle of Man
and were there to represent the views of millions of people living along the Irish Sea coastline.
The ships were escorted through the Walney Channel by a large police launch, seven police inflatables and at least one security helicopter. The yachts from the Nuclear Free Irish Sea Flotilla fell into formation behind the Pacific Pintail once the nuclear freighter carrying the cask of rejected plutonium MOX had passed them between Peel Island and Roa Island at the entrance to the Channel. The yachts got within 200 metres of the first set of lock gates.
The ships were escorted through the Walney Channel by a large police launch, seven police inflatables and at least one security helicopter. The yachts from the Nuclear Free Irish Sea Flotilla fell into formation behind the Pacific Pintail once the nuclear freighter carrying the cask of rejected plutonium MOX had passed them between Peel Island and Roa Island at the entrance to the Channel. The yachts got within 200 metres of the first set of lock gates.