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Off Moruroa atoll, 30 August 1995:- A Greenpeace helicopter crew today spotted a test rig in the Moruroa lagoon during a reconnaisance flight outside the 12 mile exclusion zone around Moruroa and Fangataufa.
French authorities have said a test is imminent. Greenpeace crew member Madeleine Habib said that from the helicopter a test rig was clearly identifiable in the Moruroa lagoon, although the distance made identification of other objects difficult. The Greenpeace helicopter was closely followed by two military helicopters during its flight.
Meanwhile, a Cook Island traditional voyaging canoe (vaka), Te Au o Tonga, arrived at the exclusion zone today and performed a traditional haka ceremony aboard to express the crew's opposition to nuclear testing. Other arrivals at Moruroa included the New Zealand trimarine Triptych and a Chilean yacht, Bebinka.
The Cook Islands vaka is due to return to Rarotonga tonight. It and its escort boat, the Cook Islands Government patrol boat Te Kukupa were earlier warned by a French warship to stay out of the exclusion zone. Earlier, the Triptych was delivered a letter by French officers in a zodiac, to which they responded with a letter of protest against nuclear testing to President Chirac.
This followed the delivery last week to the New Zealand naval vessel Tui of a similar letter by the French authorities. Members of Parliament on board the Tui later delivered their own letter of protest to the French authorities. Currently around 30 other vessels are en route to Moruroa.
"In the same way the peace flotilla is expanding, the strength of protest against President Chirac's decision to resume nuclear testing will only grow," Greenpeace's Stephanie Mills said from on board the SV Rainbow Warrior. "We are resolute in our determination to continue the peaceful protest against nuclear testing and to do our utmost to stop the tests from proceeding."
Further information: Stephanie Mills or Jean-Luc Thierry on board
the SV Rainbow Warrior +872 1300312
Xavier Pastor on board the MV Greenpeace +872 1300310
Blair Palese, Greenpeace Communications +44 171 833 0600
