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| Greenpeace worker Alex Harris's mother talks of fears for daughter | Greenpeace worker Alex Harris's mother talks of fears for daughter |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The mother of a 27-year-old Greenpeace worker held by Russian authorities has described how coastguards fired "guns and mortars" on protesting activists. | The mother of a 27-year-old Greenpeace worker held by Russian authorities has described how coastguards fired "guns and mortars" on protesting activists. |
| Alex Harris was on the Arctic Sunrise ship when it was seized last Thursday. | Alex Harris was on the Arctic Sunrise ship when it was seized last Thursday. |
| Thirty of the crew, including Devon engineer Iain Rogers, are being held at gunpoint, according to Greenpeace. | |
| Ms Harris' mother, Linda - from Dolton in Devon - said she had not heard from her daughter since an email last Wednesday and fears for her safety. | Ms Harris' mother, Linda - from Dolton in Devon - said she had not heard from her daughter since an email last Wednesday and fears for her safety. |
| The ship was seized after four activists tried to board a Russian oil platform to prevent drilling activity and is being taken to Murmansk said Greenpeace, | The ship was seized after four activists tried to board a Russian oil platform to prevent drilling activity and is being taken to Murmansk said Greenpeace, |
| Ms Harris works for Greenpeace in communications. | Ms Harris works for Greenpeace in communications. |
| Mrs Harris said: "Alex emailed us when the activists were captured to say she was safe and well," she said. | Mrs Harris said: "Alex emailed us when the activists were captured to say she was safe and well," she said. |
| She said her daughter had described how Russian coastguards started shooting guns and mortars into the air when activists tried to get at the oil platform. | She said her daughter had described how Russian coastguards started shooting guns and mortars into the air when activists tried to get at the oil platform. |
| The next day the ship was stormed by security officers. | The next day the ship was stormed by security officers. |
| Schools meals worker Mrs Harris, 55, said her daughter had a "passion for wildlife" and had been working for Greenpeace for about two years. | Schools meals worker Mrs Harris, 55, said her daughter had a "passion for wildlife" and had been working for Greenpeace for about two years. |
| It was the first time Ms Harris, who now lives in Australia, had been on a Greenpeace campaign. | |
| "She was very excited about this trip," her mother said. "She was hoping to see polar bears - she did not envisage this sort of thing would happen. | |
| "It is worrying for us. I am just hoping everything turns out for the best." | "It is worrying for us. I am just hoping everything turns out for the best." |
| Iain Rogers' mother, hospital librarian Sue Turner, 62, from Exeter, said: "He has a good sense of humour so he will be coping. | Iain Rogers' mother, hospital librarian Sue Turner, 62, from Exeter, said: "He has a good sense of humour so he will be coping. |
| "I'm pretty sure they are being treated OK. | "I'm pretty sure they are being treated OK. |
| "But he doesn't like small spaces, so he will be itching to get out." | "But he doesn't like small spaces, so he will be itching to get out." |
| The ship was seized in the Pechora Sea near oil company Gazprom's rig. | |
| Russia's Investigative Committee announced on Friday it was formally considering charges of piracy - something Greenpeace denies because of the peaceful nature of the protest. | |
| The Gazprom project is Russia's first effort to extract oil from the Barents Sea. | The Gazprom project is Russia's first effort to extract oil from the Barents Sea. |
| Greenpeace is campaigning against attempts by companies to extract oil from the waters of the Arctic, warning a spill would be highly environmentally damaging and that extraction of more fossil fuels would add to climate change. |