An 18-year-old girl, who was less than seven weeks pregnant, underwent a chemical abortion yesterday on a Dutch abortion boat in international waters off Valencia yesterday.

The girl, who became aware of the opportunity after seeing a news report on the boat's arrival in Valencia last week, did not have permission from her parents, which is required under Spanish, though not Dutch, law.

The Women on Waves non-governmental organisation that owns the yacht, is campaigning for "the right to objective sexual education, the availability of contraceptives and legal and safe abortions."

According to the NGO's own data, 20 million women worldwide - of whom 68,000 die as a result - are forced into illegal and unsafe abortions every year.

After dropping off the young girl, the yacht left Valencia port at 5pm yesterday having performed three abortions during their first outing last Friday.

Their five-day visit initially sparked a storm of opposition not only from various catholic and right-wing organisations, but also from Valencia city council and the regional government of the Valencian Community, both of which are governed by the Partido Popular.

Three pregnancies terminated on Dutch abortion boat off Valencia
By: thinkSPAIN
Saturday, October 18, 2008

Dr José Luis Carbonell carried out three chemical abortions on board the Dutch-registered yacht - the 'Menina' - in international waters around 30km from Valencia yesterday.

The yacht, which belongs to the 'Women on waves' pro-abortion non-governmental organisation, left Valencia port at around 9am without a repeat of the previous day's protests, with three women on board wanting to end their pregnancies without the authorisation of a psychiatrist as currently required under Spanish law.

Dr Carbonell, who is the director of the Valencia Community Mediterranean Medical Clinic, said yesterday from on board the yacht that "European women abort because they want to abort, without anybody's permission. We're fighting for the law to respect women's dignity and for it to come into line with the rest of Europe, which has had laws like this for 35 years."

The yacht is scheduled for its next outing next Monday, and it is planned to perform a total of eight abortions on women less that seven weeks pregnant.