Reunion marks flotilla's push for peace
Seventeen years after Bay of Islands-based sailing ship R Tucker Thompson joined a peace flotilla at Mururoa, the vessel will carry interested Northlanders to a Rainbow Warrior reunion today.
Back in 1995, Greenpeace anti-nuclear campaigner David McTaggart invited New Zealanders to join him at Mururoa. The R Tucker Thompson was one of several vessels that responded to the invitation.
Today, the Rainbow Warrior III,- in New Zealand for the first time, -will visit Matauri Bay, the resting place of the original Rainbow Warrior bombed by French Government agents in Auckland in 1985.
When the Rainbows come together at Matauri Bay, the R Tucker Thompson will be there, along with several Northlanders.
Road transport will be provided from Opua Wharf to Matauri Bay where passengers will visit the Rainbow Warrior memorial created by Kerikeri artist Chris Booth and, after lunch on board R Tucker Thompson, visit the original Warrior's resting place in the sea off the Cavalli Islands. The Tucker will then sail back down the coast with some of the original crew from the Mururoa voyage It is expected to reach Opua around 8.30pm today weather permitting.
French secret agents sank the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland on July 10, 1985, causing the death of Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira, to prevent the ship from leading protests against the nuclear testing in Mururoa.
