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Anti-nuke flotilla sets sail into South Pacific
Anti-nuke flotilla sets sail into South Pacific
SYDNEY, Feb 18 (Reuters) - A flotilla of seven protest yachts sailed
out of Sydney and Wellington on Sunday bound for a mid-ocean protest
with a British-flagged ship carrying nuclear fuel from France to
Japan.
The flotilla is the first anti-nuclear protest fleet to sail into the
South Pacific since 1995 when boats converged on France's nuclear
test site at Mururoa atoll.
The protest yachts plan to rendezvous in the mid-Tasman Sea and form
a symbolic chain across the British ship's path, but protesters say
they will not try to stop the passage of the ship.
The British-flagged ship Pacific Pintail is carrying a cargo of
nuclear fuel from France to Japan and is escorted by another ship,
the Pacific Teal.
Greenpeace has said the cargo of MOX, which combines plutonium and
uranium oxides recycled from spent nuclear fuel, contains enough
plutonium to make 20 atomic bombs.
"The nuclear threat continues to hang over the Pacific, New Zealand
and Australian region," said Henk Haazen, skipper of Tiama, before
leading two other yachts out of Sydney Harbour.
"Plutonium is the most dangerous man-made substance and needs to be
stored safely for 24,000 years before it breaks down."
As the yachts sailed out of Sydney Harbour local Aborigines performed
a sacred smoking ceremony, burning gum leaves, to protect the yachts
and their crews during the protest voyage.
Four yachts sailed from Wellington. There are 40 people on board the
seven yachts, ranging in age from 12 to 70.
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Sandy Perle Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100
Director, Technical Extension 2306
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Service Fax:(714) 668-3149
ICN Pharmaceuticals, Inc. E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net
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Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Personal Website: http://sandyfl.nukeworker.net
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com
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