The Wreck of the Rainbow Warrior

On the night of July 10, 1985, the Rainbow Warrior, a 40 meter long, former fishing trawler, had been docked in Auckland harbour for three days while preparations for its next voyage were being made. The Ship belonged to the international organization Greenpeace, and its mission was simple -- sail straight into the blast zone of the French nuclear test site at Moruroa Atoll, disrupt the test, avoid being boarded by the French navy for as long as possible, and raise public awareness of the dangers of atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons.

The world’s oceans at this time, with their vast expanses and murky depths, had very little legal protection, and even less actual oversight. The Pacific Ocean in particular, its immensity a cloak for the unscrupulous, had become a dumping ground and testing site for the powerful nations of the world. The organization Greenpeace evolved out of the desire of private citizens to protect these waters and their inhabitants, wherever governments had failed to do so. Greenpeace describes itself as “an independent, campaigning organization which uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems, and to force solutions for a green and peaceful future.”

The first such “creative confrontation” that the Rainbow Warrior was assigned to, was the disruption of whale hunting, which its crew achieved quite successfully -- largely by deploying small inflatable crafts and getting directly in the line of fire between the whaling vessel’s harpoons and the whales themselves. Between 1978 and 1985, it had engaged in non-violent direct action against the ocean dumping of toxic and radioactive waste, seal hunting, and most recently nuclear testing in the Pacific. At this time the United States and France had made the testing of nuclear weapons in the South Pacific a regular occurrence despite international condemnation.

At 11:49pm, while the Rainbow warrior lay quietly birthed in Auckland harbor, there was what was described as “an electric blue flash” in the water beside the ship, which was instantly followed by a massive explosion. On board the Rainbow Warrior that night was Dutch freelance photographer Fernando Pereira, who was there to document the ship’s mission. After the first explosion, Fernando made his way down the stairs to his cabin with the aim of retrieving his cameras. It was a fatal decision. A second explosive had been attached to the hull. The goal of the first explosion was to sink the ship. This second larger explosion was to ensure that should the ship be raised it would be irreparable. By 4 am divers had recovered Fernando's body. He had drowned, trapped in his cabin, the straps of his camera bag tangled around one leg.

As it emerged that the bombing was a deliberate act of sabotage, there was little doubt in Greenpeace activist's minds who was responsible. Two days after the bombing the French Embassy in Wellington issued a statement echoing the flat denials emanating from Paris. "In no way is France involved," it declared. However, when two French agents posing as a traveling couple were apprehended by a local neighborhood watch, police soon assembled the neccessary evidence to solidify beyond a doubt French responsibility. The two captured French secret service agents eventually pleaded guilty to manslaughter and willful damage in Auckland’s High Court. The bombing and the ensuing French scandal sparked an outrage internationally. In the wake of the bombing, a flotilla of privately owned New Zealand yachts sailed to Muroroa to protest against the French test. As a result, French nuclear tests in the Pacific were suspended.

In 1987 the French Government agreed to pay New Zealand compensation of NZ$13 million and formally apologised for the bombing. The French Government also paid 2.3 Million French Francs compensation to the family of Fernando Pereira, the killed photographer. An indirect consequence was to help transform New Zealand's "nuclear free" policy from an unpopular minority position to something of a national icon. New Zealand remains to this day an entirely 'nuclear free' nation, even forfeiting lucrative alliances with the United States for its refusal to allow American ships that carry or are powered by nuclear material to enter its waters.

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There are so many things that I like about this story. What event could better provide students with a faith in the influence that a small group of dedicated and concerned citizens can have for positive change in the world? Just the idea of a private organization outfitting a schooner the size of a battleship for the sole purpose of sailing it straight into the blast zone of a nuclear test site in a heroic attempt to save the environment, not to mention us, involves messages that are not often paralleled in our history curriculum. Then there is the outcome, which is a potent demonstration of the power of direct action when waged in a just cause. Even as the Rainbow Warrior sank, it created an outcry which raised public awareness to its cause in a way far more powerful than if the French had left it alone. The influence of this event on New Zealand’s notional psyche is well embedded to this day. The sinking of the rainbow warrior and the further efforts of organizations like Greenpeace were also instrumental in pushing forth the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which was eventually signed by 177 nations, and bans all nuclear explosions in all environments, for military or civilian purposes.

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The Rainbow Warrior was eventually raised and patched, although not operational any more, thanks to the second murderous blast. On 14th December 1987, she was towed north and sunk again, this time as an artificial reef in a sheltered position near Motutapere Island. Resting on the sand at 25 metres and encrusted with sea life, the Rainbow Warrior is now home to hundreds of fish, a beautiful site for visiting divers, and a reminder of the beauty that an unpolluted sea is capable of displaying.

If you think Greenpeace is cool, check out this offshoot that is taking some drastic measures to disrupt the Japanese whaling industry.

Article on Sea Shepherd Conservation Society