This afternoon seven Shell to Sea activists, including Etain Nímhongáin, youngest daughter of hunger striker Maura Harrington, paddled over a kilometre out to sea in Donegal Bay, in an attempt to communicate with Simon van der Plicht, Captain of the Solitaire.
As Ms. Harrington's hunger strike continues there is increasing concern for her health. For the past week the captain of the Solitaire has refused to provide any information on whether the ship is leaving Irish waters. Today, when spoken to by Maura's daughter, the Captain once again refused to comment on the ship's intentions.
When the paddlers got within twenty metres of the ship it weighed anchor and is currently heading out further to sea. It is uncertain if the ship is responding to the request for it to leave Irish territorial waters.
A friend of Ms Harrington stated, "The Captain of the Solitaire holds Maura's life in his hands. We want them to leave Irish waters immediately. Failing this, at the very least he could declare the ship's intentions so we weren't living with this uncertainty."
Maura Harrington, Shell to Sea, is now on her eighth day of a hunger strike which she began when Shell's pipe-laying ship the Solitaire arrived in Broadhaven Bay, Erris, Co Mayo on the 9th of September.
Maura is clear that her hunger strike will end in one of two ways.
1) Written confirmation that the Solitaire has left Irish territorial waters.
2) Her death.
When the paddlers got within twenty metres of the ship it weighed anchor and is currently heading out further to sea. It is uncertain if the ship is responding to the request for it to leave Irish territorial waters.
A friend of Ms Harrington stated, "The Captain of the Solitaire holds Maura's life in his hands. We want them to leave Irish waters immediately. Failing this, at the very least he could declare the ship's intentions so we weren't living with this uncertainty."
Maura Harrington, Shell to Sea, is now on her eighth day of a hunger strike which she began when Shell's pipe-laying ship the Solitaire arrived in Broadhaven Bay, Erris, Co Mayo on the 9th of September.
Maura is clear that her hunger strike will end in one of two ways.
1) Written confirmation that the Solitaire has left Irish territorial waters.
2) Her death.
