A SHIP carrying two Irish aid activists that broke its moorings in Libya and set sail following a dispute on board arrived safely yesterday at the Greek port of Piraeus.
Ten activists – two Irish people, seven Britons and an Algerian – were on board the Strofades IVwhen it abruptly left the Libyan port of Derna on Thursday following an apparent disagreement.
The Irish nationals, members of the Road to Hope charity, were named as Kenneth OKeefe and David T Callander. They were planning to bring aid to Gaza in defiance of the Israeli boycott on the territory. The Strofades IVentered Greek waters yesterday morning before being towed to a cargo terminal at the port of Piraeus where Greek officials were due to process those on board.
The Department of Foreign Affairs was in contact with Libyan and Greek authorities during the incident and an official from the Irish Embassy in Athens was hoping to meet with the activists last night.
Six other Irish nationals were stranded when the Greek-owned vessel left the port. They were part of a group of 55 aid workers that had passed through Libyan immigration and were due to board the vessel when it broke its moorings.
The managing company, Ionian Bridge Ship management, claimed the 10 activists jumped on the boat at Derna and the captain was forced to set off to prevent all of them boarding and taking over the ship.
The charity disputes this version of events and claims the disagreement was between the ship’s owners and the shipping broker.
Most of the aid, which is made up of non-perishable goods including winter provisions, warm clothing and school books, remains on lorries at Derna. Some of the aid was reportedly destroyed when the boat left its berth as it was being loaded on board.
