Report from the "Springer" in connection with Greenpeace operations on June 12th 1999

After this, we are given orders to address the "rubber dinghies" and inform them that the "Villduen" is surrounded by a safety zone. We then proceed at moderate speed towards the boats and wave our arms to attract their attention. As we approach the boats we try to shout across to them, but as we begin calling to them, the boats accelerate and speed away from us. We make repeated attempts at attracting their attention in this way, without getting close enough to shout our message to them. We then notice that both vessels have solid hulls with "inflatable rubber rings" around the gunwale, are marked "Greenpeace" on the sides and have flags saying "…ILLEGAL…" on them. One of the boats is equipped with a water-jet engine while the other has two outboard motors. We also ascertain that the boats are capable of very high speed, the water-jet probably about 25-28 knots and the one with the outboards probably over 40-45 knots. The water-jet had a crew of three. As we were unsuccessful in shouting out message across to the boats, we go alongside the ""Sea Rider"" and agree to position ourselves behind the "Villduen" on both sides of her wake, so that we may have the best possible view of what is going on around the "Villduen", without getting in the way of her search/hunt.

At about 1240 hours we receive orders to "concentrate on" the white "Observer boat" and prevent it from getting closer than 500 metres from the "Villduen". We then approach the vessel to intercept it, and "chase" it out of the safety zone. We then receive orders to return to our position behind the "Villduen". As we are maintaining that position, we observe the two "rubber dinghies" conducting what I would characterise as dangerous and provocative operations directly in front of the bow of the "Villduen". The two boats repeatedly cross the path of the "Villduen" only a few metres from her bow, and also proceed to circle around her and between her and our boarding vessels at great speed.

At approximately 1300-1310 hours, the "Sea Rider" returned to the Coast Guard vessel. When she came back, she came alongside and reported that our orders were now to arrest the two "rubber dinghies". After consultations, we decided to concentrate on the boat with the water-jet engine first, since that was the one we had the best chance of arresting. We then proceeded to follow the water-jet at full speed and tried to position our boarding vessels on each side of her in order to enable us to board her at speed. This proved very difficult as the "Sea Rider" was much lighter than the water-jet so that she bumped into the "Sea Rider" on several occasions, bouncing her away. On board the "Springer", we only had a minor speed advantage over the water-jet, so that when we came along side her and she veered off to one side, it took us a long time to catch up to her again. The "Sea Rider" then attempted to force her movements in such a way that it was easier for us to manoeuvre alongside to board. These tactics were successful to a certain extent as the "Sea Rider" managed to obstruct the water-jet allowing us to come up alongside. However, high speed and constant counter-manoeuvres on behalf of the water-jet made it impossible to board her until she made some kind of mistake. We therefore continued our manoeuvres, in anticipation of the right moment to act. The water-jet continued to sail very aggressively and at times dangerously. On one occasion all three vessels were side by side, and the water-jet made an ill-considered manoeuvre turning suddenly so that the "Springer" could not avoid ramming her. A brief respite occurred then, before the water-jet managed to gain speed quickly enough to prevent us from boarding her. After this incident, the boat with the outboard motors began to conduct itself in an aggressive manner. She was constantly alongside the "Sea Rider" pressing her. On one occasion the rubber dinghies approached the "Sea Rider" from opposite sides quite clearly in order to ram her from both sides. When the "Sea Rider" conducted an emergency stop, the dinghies did not impact her, but passed her bow from both sides at a distance of about 3-4 metres, finally running into each other and colliding. However, they managed to steer away from each other to a certain extent so that they did not suffer enough damage to stop their operations. The two boats then proceeded towards the "Rainbow Warrior" at full speed, one on either side of her. The "Springer" followed the water-jet and the "Sea Rider" continued on the other side of the "Rainbow Warrior". The "Springer" was close alongside the water-jet on her port side. As we rounded the "Rainbow Warrior" the "Sea Rider" approached on the starboard side of the water-jet and they collided side-on. The water-jet turned to port and stopped almost completely so that the "Springer" rammed her almost amidships and since there was no longer air in the rubber rings, the "Springer" actually sailed right over her. A person who was standing near the middle of the boat may have been hit during the collision, and was at least thrown overboard. In the ensuing commotion, we managed to board the water-jet and bring her to a halt. When we realised that a person had been relatively seriously injured we manoeuvred over to the "Rainbow Warrior", which was closest, and had first-aid equipment and a nurse brought onboard from there. We assessed the situation as such that we could place the injured person on a stretcher and transfer him to the "Springer" and from there lift him aboard the Coast Guard vessel for further treatment.

Illustrations of the incident

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