Greenpeace damages French boat

By JULIE ASH

Less than five months from the Louis Vuitton Cup, the boat of French challengers Le Defi Areva has been damaged by Greenpeace protesters opposed to their nuclear energy sponsorship.

The protesters' boat hit the side of the Areva-sponsored yacht yesterday as it was being prepared for its first sail, off Lorient in the northwest of France.

Louis Vuitton spokesman Bruno Trouble said extensive damage to the hull could take weeks to repair.

" ... Greenpeace are trying to pretend it was an accident. But it was not an accident, it was a planned attack."

He said 15 people had been arrested but the French syndicate had said it would sue Greenpeace after video evidence proved it was deliberate.

The Greenpeace New Zealand spokeswoman Bunny McDiarmid said a number of boats surrounded the yacht and the Greenpeace boat was pushed into it.

"Greenpeace is not in the habit of ramming boats."

She said Greenpeace believed it was inappropriate for Areva to sponsor a boat in the cup as it was a vehicle to advertise nuclear power.

"We welcome the French team but they can leave their dirty industry at home.

"They want to be seen as a clean and highly technological company but we are saying they are a very old and dangerous industry."

Bunny McDiarmid would not say what Greenpeace were planning to do when the boat arrived in Auckland in mid-August as "that would wreck the surprise".

"We don't want to block the America's Cup but we don't want Areva to come here."

nzherald.co.nz/americascup