The first of an 18-strong fleet of yachts are preparing to cast off from New Zealand for Mururoa to protest against French nuclear testing in the South Pacific.Setting out with the full blessing of the New Zealand government, the fleet aims to stay just outside the 12-mile military exclusion zone surrounding the island. The operation forms part of a growing protest against President Jacques Chirac's nuclear-testing programme.The sheer anger amongst New Zealanders at the French decision to resume testing in the South Pacific has been growing for weeks.
Now, a group of prominent yacht-owning New Zealanders are doing their part to add to the protest.18 boats in all are due to set sail for Mururoa in the next 10 days, the first leave on Sunday. But unlike Greenpeace, the captains of the yachts are not planning to enter the 12-mile military exclusion zone surrounding the minuscule South Pacific island.
