You're reading: Greenpeace activists removed from Arctic oil rig

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Police have removed two activists from an oil rig off Greenland's coast after they climbed aboard to try and stop an oil company from deep water drilling in the Arctic.

Police spokesman Morten Nielsen said Friday the American and British Greenpeace activists face fines and expulsion for trespassing and violating a 310-feet (500 meter) safety zone around the Cairn Energy rig.

Nielsen says they were apprehended "without any drama" after four days in a pod under the rig.

Scottish company Cairn said Friday it had started drilling two wells off Nuuk, the semiautonomous Danish territory’s capital.

Greenpeace has criticized Cairn — the only company drilling in the area — for not taking extra precautions to avoid accidents such as the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.