Nuclear Free Pacific Flotilla Ready and Waiting

20 July 2002

Nuclear Free Pacific Flotilla Ready and Waiting

Auckland 20 July, 2002 - The Nuclear Free Pacific Flotilla have announced that they are in position off Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea and are ready for two plutonium ships expected through the area early tomorrow morning.

"Our very presence here sends an extremely strong message to those shipping dangerous material, that we want our seas to be nuclear free and make no mistake we will win this, people power will prevail," said Richard Allen from onboard the yacht Ranui.

"We are eleven boats here today but we carry the determination of thousands of people in the region that do not want to see our Pacific and Tasman turned into a nuclear highway," said Allen.

There are 51 people onboard the yachts and nationalities represented onboard the flotilla include New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Lebanon, France, USA, UK, Germany, Holland and Poland.

The yachts which departed from New Zealand, Australia and Vanuatu, have battled big seas and unpredictable weather, met between Norfolk and Lord Howe Island and are preparing to bear witness to the transport of plutonium MOX waste due through there in early Sunday morning.

The Flotilla is protesting the transport of a radioactive cargo of plutonium MOX waste from Japan through the region on its way back to the UK which is onboard the UK freighters Pacific Pintail and Pacific Teal.

Crew are available for interviews on the following vessels:

SV Nanu - Iridium phone #: 008816 315 25590 SV Fio-Oko - French registered: interviews available via SV Nanu SV Moontide - Iridium phone #: 008816 315 25591 SV Ranui - Iridium phone #: 008816 314 29569 SV Tiama - Inmarsat phone #: 00872 762639082

For other details contact: Pia Mancia - Flotilla Coordinator - 021 799 661

The flotilla website www.nuclearfreeflotilla.org is being updated regularly

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