You probably know about the last moments of the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior in 1985.
But what do you know about the environmental campaign ship’s last voyage before it was bombed by French secret agents in New Zealand on 10 July 1985?
Where had it come from, why was it there and what was it doing?
Find out in The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior, a six part podcast series produced by an ABC Radio Australia and RNZ partnership.
The series was written and hosted by James Nokise of the ABC with writers and producers Justin Gregory (RNZ) and Sophie Townsend.
The series was assisted by Pacific journalist David Robie, author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior; and editor Giff Johnson, Eve Burns and Hilary Hosia of the Marshall Islands Journal; along with many Marshall Islanders who spoke to the podcast crew or helped with this project.
Episode 1: The other Cold War (13 November 2024)
The crew of the Rainbow Warrior should have felt safe and welcome when they arrived in Auckland, New Zealand. We all know what happened next, and who was responsible. But how much do you know about what went down before that?
Episode 2: The Day of Two Suns (13 November 2024)
The Atomic Age arrives in the Marshall Islands as the US turns the region into a nuclear testing ground. But after one massive detonation, nothing will ever be the same for the people of Rongelap Atoll.
Episode 3: Project 4.1
In the days after the Castle Bravo detonation, the people of Rongelap desperately need help. It arrived. But with that help came something they didn’t expect, and never agreed to.
Episode 4: The Land and the Soul
Jeton Anjain has had enough. He decides to act to save his people. And with the help of some well-connected friends, he pulls off one of the great humanitarian acts of the 20th century.
Episode 5: Operation Satanique
Back in New Zealand, public anger is at its peak as the hunt begins for those responsible for bombing the Rainbow Warrior. Shockwaves ripple across the globe when it’s discovered who did it.
Episode 6: Legacies
The people of Rongelap have a new, safer home. But at what cost? What does the future hold? And can they ever go home again?
- Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior (Little Island Press, 2015)
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
