Greenpeace says it is occupying Chevron-operated drill ship off Britain’s Shetland Islands

Greenpeace says it is aboard oil ship off UK coast

LONDON — Greenpeace said Tuesday that its activists have climbed aboard a Chevron-operated ship to protest drilling operations in the deep waters off Britain’s Shetland Islands.

The environmental group said two members used boats to reach the 228-meter (748 feet) Stena Carron drill ship and attached themselves to the ship’s anchor chain. Greenpeace said the ship had been on its way to the Lagavulin oil field, where it was scheduled to begin exploratory drilling.

“Chevron North Sea is appealing to Greenpeace to immediately stop their actions at the Stena Carron while it is going about its lawful business in Bressay Sound,” the U.S.-based oil company said in a statement.

“This kind of action is foolhardy and demonstrates that Greenpeace is willing to put its volunteers at risk to carry out such reckless publicity stunts, and we are concerned for the safety of those involved.”

Chevron is exploring in waters about 500 meters (1,640 feet) deep. BP’s Macondo well, which blew out in the Gulf of Mexico, was about a mile deep.