Final drive for Antarctic breakthrough

Spanish, Korean and Taiwanese tuna-fishing vessels contributed about £1 million to the cost. A faster patrol boat will probably be needed to prevent illegal fishing in the new reserve, environmentalists believe. But Mauritius immediately attacked the planned reserve. The Chagos Islands are rimed in controversy because the local inhabitants were forced to leave the islands four decades ago when the UK agreed to let the US build a major airbase on the largest island, Diego Garcia. And Mauritius is where most of the Chagossians were transferred to and they have long campaigned to be allowed to return to their islands with strong Mauritian support. “This has nothing to do with the environment,” said the Mauritian High Commissioner to London. “They want to prevent islanders from going back and keep these islands for ever. But we are not going to let this go. They will face the consequences of this,” he said.