Crew of the Rainbow Warrior, 1985
The bombing of the Rainbow Warrior happened on July 10,
1985. But the French government had been planning its attack long
before that and we're still mourning this act of sabotage and
murder 20 years later. July 7, 1985
The Rainbow Warrior arrives in Auckland after
successfully completing its mission to relocate the people of
Rongelap. The United States government had just detonated the
largest nuclear bomb since Hiroshima, and radiation poisoning
impacted 95 percent of the villagers.
July 10, 1985
Spirits are high on the Rainbow Warrior. The crew is finalizing their
plans to sail to Moruroa to oppose French plans for a series of
underground nuclear tests. It is also Steve Sawyer's birthday and
Margaret Mills has baked a cake, boasting a jelly bean rainbow, for
the occasion.
9:30 p.m. Mike
Harris - a taxi driver in Auckland - enjoys a drink with friends at
the Outboard Boating Club. They notice a small inflatable Zodiac
pulled up on a wooden ramp leading up to the roadside. The driver
of the Zodiac climbs out and jogs down Tamaki Drive, returning
moments later in a white camper van. Helped by another man, the
Zodiac driver offloaded a large bundle from the boat and into the
back of the van. Their suspicions aroused, Mike and his friends
telephone the police. They've managed to jot down the vehicle
details as it speeds away - a white Toyota Hiace, registration
plate LB 8945.
11:00 p.m. An
onboard meeting regarding the Muroroa mission breaks up.
Accompanied by some of the crew, the Warrior's visitors leave. Some
of those still onboard wish their friends "goodnight" and go below
to their cabins. On a whim that may have saved her life, Hanne
Sorensen goes back above deck to take a brisk walk in the night
air.
11:49 p.m.
Seven crewmembers, including photographer Fernando Pereira, chat
around the mess-room table, sharing between them the last two
bottles of beer. They check the clock, wondering if the bars are
still open.
11:50 p.m. An
explosion. Those in the mess-room are plunged into darkness.
Others are stirred from sleep by a dull, muffled thud, as though
something heavy had been dropped on the deck above. Fernando
Pereira rushes below deck with Martini Gotje and Andy Biedermann to
check if anyone has been left behind. Martini goes to the cabin he
shares with Hanne, and finds it empty. Andy rouses Margaret Mills
who is still asleep. Andy and Margaret make it off the ship first.
Martini follows as Fernando is "right behind him."
11:52 p.m. A
second explosion. A flash of blue light streaked through the cloudy
waters around the ship. Those already on deck scrambled up the
ladder or leaped to safety on the wharf. In a matter of minutes
they watched as the twin steel masts of the ship tilted toward
them. Fernando Pereira is missing.
July 11, 1985
3:00 a.m. One of the
team of New Zealand navy divers called to inspect the Warrior
wreckage, surfaces with the body of Fernando Pereira in his arms.
He was found lying face down on the floor of the cabin next to his
own. Exactly what had happened to him is still unclear.
Later that day
The French government asserts "in no way was France involved."
July 12, 1985
Becky Hayter reports to work at the airport branch of Newman's,
a car rental agency, shortly before 8:30 a.m. Standing at the
counter is Alain and Sophie Turenge - the "Swiss" couple to whom
she has leased a white Toyota Hiace. They have decided to go home
early and want to return their van. Alain estimates that he is
entitled to a refund of NZ$130.
However, Becky and the other Newman's staff have already been
alerted that the drivers of this particular van are wanted for
questioning. While one keeps the Swiss couple talking, another
calls the police. Twenty minutes later Detective David McSweeney
walks into the office and the Turenges are invited to accompany him
back to the police station for questioning. They are later
identified as Captain Dominique Prieur and Major Alain Mafart,
high-ranking agents of the DGSE, the French Secret Services.
July - November
At Auckland's Central Police Station, Detective Inspector Allan
Galbraith, oversees the investigation of a big, long and
complicated case. At its height, his team consists of over 100
agents that conduct 6,000 interviews. Evidence mounts against the
French.
September 21, 1985
Finally, France admits its responsibility for sinking the Rainbow Warrior. The
United Nations is called in to mediate a settlement between France
and New Zealand. Eventually the French government is forced into an
unconvincing apology and ordered to pay NZ$13 million to the New
Zealand government. Later still, Greenpeace receives US$8 million
from France. This enables us to build the replacement for the Rainbow Warrior, the
current Rainbow Warrior II.
November 4, 1985
The trial of Captain Prieur and Major Mafart begins…and ends.
The pair enters guilty pleas, thus avoiding a lengthy trial and the
possibility of more revelations to rock the French establishment.
They are sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for manslaughter, and
seven years for arson, to run concurrently.
In the months that follow, France exerts serious economic
pressure on New Zealand over dairy exports and a deal is struck
that allows Prieur and Mafart to serve their time in a French
military prison. They serve a little over two years of their
sentences before being freed and returning to Paris, where they are
honored with military medals and resume their careers.
July 10, 2005
Twenty years later, no proper public inquiry into the bombing
and the murder of Fernando Pereira has been held in France. New
Zealand's police have been denied the opportunity to interview most
of the DGSE agents responsible. The guilty have not been punished
and justice has not been served.