Gaza aid team trapped on Greek boat

At least six British members of an aid convoy to Gaza are reportedly trapped aboard a Greek cargo vessel in the Mediterranean which is being pursued by Libyan warships. The volunteers from the Road to Hope group, a humanitarian group attempting to deliver supplies to Palestinians, are understood to have become caught up in a dispute over money. British Foreign Office diplomats are liaising with the Libyan and Greek authorities, and have called for a "safe" end to the situation. The origins of the row are not clear but the Greek ship, the Strofades IV, apparently left the port of Derna, in eastern Libya, abruptly this morning. Ellie Merton, the London liaison for the convoy, said: "As far as I know the boat owner became really aggressive over a payment for something, tried to shut the back end of the boat and moved away from the pier really fast. "The [vessel] was still attached to the quayside and as he drove he yanked the ropes off, there were bits of concrete flying everywhere. We have lost telephone contact with those who are still on the ship against their will – without any paperwork, passports or authority to leave Libya, possessions or, when we last heard, food or water. We're extremely concerned." Most of the vans in the aid convoy were left behind on the quay at Derna. The Road to Hope group said the ship had headed into international waters before being chased by Libyan navy ships and reportedly overflown by jets and helicopters. As well as the British volunteers, two Irish, one Algerian and three Libyan officials are on the ship. Among them is Ken O'Keefe, a former US marine, who is a survivor of the Isaeli attack on the Mavi Marmara off Gaza in May this year. A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware of the incident at Derna port in Libya and have been in close contact with the convoy organisers. "Our embassy in Tripoli has been urging the Libyan authorities to resolve the situation rapidly and ensure that those caught on the ship are returned to safety. We are in close contact with the Greek authorities. Our priority remains that there should be a safe resolution of this incident."