Share your Rainbow Warrior memory

Do you have a memory of the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior? To mark the 40th anniversary, we’re collecting your stories.

40 years since the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior

On the night of 10 July 1985, two explosions rocked Auckland Harbour.

The Rainbow Warrior, a Greenpeace ship preparing to sail to protest nuclear testing in the Pacific, was bombed by French government agents. The ship sank and Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira was killed.

This act of violence shocked the nation and has been an important part of our history ever since. It helped strengthen New Zealand’s identity as a proudly nuclear-free country. For many people, the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior wasn’t just a headline; it was a moment that stayed with them.

Do you have a memory of that day in 1985? To mark the 40th anniversary of the bombing, we’re collecting memories and stories from people who were moved, inspired, or just have a story to tell. 

Share your memory of the Rainbow Warrior

By sharing your memory, you help keep this history alive so the spirit of the Rainbow Warrior continues to inspire action today. We will publish some of your memories online and share them with other supporters and those on board the current Rainbow Warrior. 

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To mark the 40th anniversary, please consider a special $40 gift to honour this legacy and support Greenpeace’s ongoing work defending nature and fighting for a better future.

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Who bombed the Rainbow Warrior in 1985, and why?

Learn the facts or test your knowledge about the attack on Greenpeace’s ship in Auckland, New Zealand.

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