hiPod: life inside Greenpeace's hanging protest

BUFFETED by strong winds, suspended 30 metres above the freezing Arctic Ocean, a tiny survival pod has become home to two environmental activists determined to halt oil exploration off Greenland.

Greenpeace has released dramatic pictures from inside the makeshift home, which is chained to the underside of a giant floating rig owned by Edinburgh-based Cairn Energy.

The activists, who have been criticised for risking their own lives and the lives of others, say they are drawing attention to the environmental dangers of deep-water oil exploration in the Arctic.

With their solar and wind powered computer, the two protesters, known as Hannah and Luke, have been sending messages on social networking site Twitter, along with photographs and films of life in the pod.

Yesterday they tweeted:Worldwide carbon emissions are at their highest ever levels. So let's not go to the ends of the Earth in search of new oil."

An earlier tweet said: "Safe and secure in our Arctic survival pod hanging under the oil rig 30 meters above the sea - stay tuned!"

The pod, which was previously used in a Greenpeace operation in Shetland, is fitted with a small wind turbine and solar panels in order to power the laptop, camera and other electrical equipment.

There is enough food and water to last ten days.

Ben Ayliffe who is on board the Greenpeace support ship Esperanza, said: "They are in really high spirits and they are determined to stay there as long as they can.

"They have everything they need to stay as long as they can."

Greenland yesterday enforced a 500-metre exclusion zone around the rig, preventing supplies from reaching the protesters. Danish naval boats were patrolling the area last night.

The Greenland government strongly condemned the protest, saying it could put lives in danger and was not in the interests of the people of the area.

Industry minister Ove Karl Berthelsen said: "We will not be stopped by Greenpeace actions. Greenland has a right to develop a basis for livelihood for the population here as they do in other countries."

Greenland deputy police chief Morten Nielsen said: "Right now the rig is in a safety zone where access is restricted.

"The Greenpeace activists are trespassing in the safety zone, against the law. They have been asked to leave.

"I hope Greenpeace decides to leave voluntarily, also out of concern for their own safety. If you are hanging above cold water in a pod like that, it is potentially dangerous for the activists themselves."Cairn Energy said the Greenpeace action had not caused any delay to its activities in the region.

A statement issued by the company said: "Cairn confirms that operations on board the semi-submersible drilling vessel, the Leiv Eiriksson, owned by Ocean Rig are continuing as normal today.

"Cairn respects the rights of individuals and organisations to express their views in a safe and peaceful manner but would be concerned with any action that presents a risk to the safety of people and/or equipment."

Ben Ayliffe, who is the oil industry spokesman for Greenpeace, said campaigners were concerned that a potential oil spill in the Arctic could lead to an environmental disaster.