Off Moruroa, 1200 hours local time, Thursday July 13:- The Greenpeace yacht Vega was this morning harrassed by a low-flying helicopter as it remains on stand-by outside the Moruroa test site.
The helicopter passed several times one hundred foot or less above the vessel, creating havoc with the Vega's sailing rig. But Steve Sawyer, the skipper on board the Vega, said the crew remained undeterred.
"Dangerous flying by helicopters, the presence of warships and other surveillance will not intimidate us or stop our peaceful protest," he told the SV Rainbow Warrior by marine radio. "It is ironic that as France invokes the spirit of "liberty, equality and fraternity" on Bastille Day, the French military is trying to prevent us exercising our democratic right to protest."
The Vega is prepared to stay off the Moruroa test site indefinitely, and is currently accompanied by the Danish Viking vessel, Bifrost. The Rainbow Warrior is en route to Tahiti, and is expected to arrive in the harbour of Papeete at 0900 local time, Friday 14 July to join Tahitians protesting at nuclear testing.
Further information: Stephanie Mills, Jean-Luc Thierry, on board the SV Rainbow Warrior +872 1300312