Built as a research trawler under yard No 846 by Hall, Russell & Co. Ltd., Aberdeen for the British Ministry of Technology. Managed by Department of Scientific & Industrial Research
29 November 1954 launched as SIR WILLIAM HARDY fishery No A 45, christened by Mrs. G.A.Reay wife of the superintendant of Torry Research Station in Aberdeen.
Tonnage 418 grt, 123 net, dim. 39.92 (bpp) x 8.44 x 4.57m.
Powered diesel electric by 4 diesel engines, ?hp, speed 11 knots.
Accommodation for 16 crew and 4 scientists.
November 1955 completed.
She was fitted out with a laboratory and designed for carrying out research on fish and fish food.
Till 1977 used by the owners, thereafter put on the sale list.
1977 Sold to Greenpeace for £40,000 where after she underwent a four month refit.
29 April 1978 renamed in RAINBOW WARRIOR, with homeport Aberdeen, the first ship owned by Greenpeace. Her registered owner was Galleas Ltd., Georgetown, British Caymans Islands.
Tonnage 1182.2 grt, 365 net., registered as a yacht.
She was used by Greenpeace for various campaigns.
1981 Two new Detroit diesel engines placed, ?hp, speed 12 knots.
1985 Her sails were altered to ketch rig.
Early 1985 she protested against the French nuclear testing in the Pacific, May 1985 she evacuated around 300 Marshall Islanders from Rongelap Atoll, what was polluted by radioactivity from past American nuclear tests.
There after she sailed to Auckland to lead a flotilla of yachts protesting against French nuclear testing at the Mururoa Atoll.
The French intelligence service (DGSE) tried to stop this protests, and just before midnight on 10 July 1985 in the port of Auckland they placed underwater charges on the hull and the detonations blew two holes in the hull, a large hole of 2 square meter on the starboard side near the engine room, the other aft on the port side near the accommodation area damaged also the propeller shaft, she sank quickly till she settled on the harbour bed, with only her superstructure above water.
The 33 year old Dutch photographer Fernando Pereira born in Portugal drowned, all the other crew was saved.
The New Zealand police quickly found out that the sabotage was the work of the French DGSE, two of the saboteurs were arrested in Auckland, others escaped.
04 November 1985 Captain Dominique Prieur and Major Alain Mafart of the DGSE pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges at their trial at Auckland and were jailed for 10 years.
21 August 1985 the RAINBOW WARRIOR was refloated and moved to a naval harbour for a survey, but she was so damaged that she was not worth repairing.
27 November 1987 moved from Western Viaduct to Marsden Wharf, the wharf where she was sunk.
Compensation was paid by French Government to the owners, where after it was decided to scuttle her as a dive wreck and artificial reef to promote marine life.
01 December 1987 towed by the tug Lady Eva from Auckland to Whangaroa Harbour.
12 December 1987 towed to the Cavalli Islands, 10 am she was opened and water was flooding in and at 12.10pm she sank in 25 meter of water. Six men of the crew aboard when she was blasted in 1985 witnessed her sinking.
Her masts were salvaged and stand now outside the Dargaville Museum, New Zealand.
Malagasy 1996 1500/5000Fr. sg?, scott 1341/45 and MS 12500Fr sg?, scott1345
Source: Various web-sites. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Warrior_(1955) New Zealand Shipwrecks