The position of the Pacific Pintail at 0700 GMT was 12 degrees and 12 minutes South and 32 degrees and 56 minutes West, on a distance 210 miles of the Brazilian coast, putting us 300 miles east of the Brazilian city of Salvador. The Pacific Pintail is still sailing along the edge of the Brazilian 200 miles Exclusive Economic Zone, on a course of 205 degrees. This course could bring the Pintail potentially into Brazilian waters within the next 36 hours.
Yesterday, the Brazilian Air force checked the position of the Pintail and enquired into all relevant navigational and safety aspects of the nuclear waste ship. The captain of the Pintail refused to inform the Brazilian authorities about the nature of his cargo, and bluntly stated that his ship was on a "normal sea-trade." The Greenpeace crew believes this represents the moral attitude of the companies involved in the plutonium trade and commerce of radioactive pollution.
Brazil's Department of External Affairs confirmed yesterday that it had sought bilateral contact with the Embassies of Japan, France and UK to express Brazil's concern about the route of the Pacific Pintail.
In Brasilia, Brazil's capital, the three National Workers Federations of port workers adopted a motion late yesterday stating: (1) Their strong protest against the passage of Pacific Pintail in Brazilian waters, (2) Their decision to deny any kind of help and assistance to the ship should it ask to stop in a Brazilian port. The National Workers Federation's further announced that this message will be circulated throughout Brazil to all ports.
Media updates from the Solo are sent out on a daily basis at approximately 0700 GMT and 1900 GMT. If additional information on the Pacific Pintail's voyage or it's cargo of radioactive pollution is required, please contact Bas Bruyne on the Solo (phone: ++871-1301166--warning $10 a minute), or Karen Richardson at Greenpeace UK: ++44171-226-3151. Photo requests should be made to Mark Warford at Greenpeace Communications (++44-71-8330-600).
Media and others interested in tracking the shipment's route daily should access Greenpeace World Wide Web site at: HTTP://WWW.greenpeace.org/
Best regards and No Nukes!
Ulf Birgander (Captain)
Bas Bruyne (Campaigner)