France had nothing to do with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior
| France had nothing to do with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "The French government had no involvement in the 1985 bombing of Greenpeace's ship Rainbow Warrior in New Zealand." | |
| Domain | War, Conflict & Geopolitics |
| Tactic | Imposture Fabrication |
| Era | Historical |
| First seen | 1985 |
| Origin | French government denials in July and August 1985, including an official inquiry that cleared the intelligence service |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-30 |
| Further reading: books on War, Conflict & Geopolitics | |
On July 10, 1985, two bombs sank the Rainbow Warrior, the flagship of Greenpeace, in Auckland harbor, New Zealand. The ship was preparing to protest French nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll. Photographer Fernando Pereira drowned.
France denied involvement for weeks. The bombing was carried out by agents of its foreign intelligence service, the DGSE.
What the evidence shows
- Fake identities. New Zealand police arrested two DGSE officers, Alain Mafart and Dominique Prieur, who were traveling as a Swiss honeymoon couple named "Turenge."
- Whitewash. A French government inquiry led by Bernard Tricot reported in August 1985 that the DGSE agents had only been gathering information.
- Admission. After Le Monde reported that a third team had planted the bombs, Prime Minister Laurent Fabius admitted on September 22, 1985, that DGSE agents sank the ship on orders. Defense Minister Charles Hernu had resigned two days earlier.
- Aftermath. The two agents pleaded guilty to manslaughter. France later paid compensation to New Zealand, Greenpeace and Pereira's family.
Why it matters
The case shows a state using false identities and then an official inquiry to deny an attack, until independent police work and a free press exposed it.
Sources
- Le Monde, reporting on the third DGSE team, September 1985.
- Laurent Fabius, statement on the Rainbow Warrior affair, September 22, 1985.
- United Nations Secretary-General, ruling on the Rainbow Warrior dispute between France and New Zealand, July 1986.