Eastern Pacific Ocean, 26th March 2023 - As critical negotiations at the controversial International Seabed Authority (ISA) meeting in Jamaica continue, the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise with three New Zealanders on board has intercepted a deep sea mining vessel off the coast of Costa Rica. The vessel, named James Cook, was returning from a seven-week expedition in areas of the Pacific Ocean targeted for deep sea mining.

In the early hours of Sunday morning (CEST) before sunrise, two rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) left the Arctic Sunrise as the deep sea mining research ship made its way to Costa Rica. Two activists from Aotearoa New Zealand sat ready and prepared in one of the RIBs to send a message to the incoming ship.

With a Tino Rangatiratanga flag, Māori activist Quack Pirihi joined Greenpeace campaigner James Hita flying a "Don’t mine the Moana" flag, to swim in front of the deep sea mining research vessel, James Cook. A third Greenpeace activist also scaled the side of the moving vessel to unfurl a banner reading "Say No to Deep Sea Mining".

On board the Arctic Sunrise, Greenpeace Aotearoa campaigner James Hita of (Ngāti Whātua o Oruawharo/Te Uri o Hau) says:

"For too long, Pacific peoples have been excluded from decisions that impact our territories and waters. If governments don't stop this industry from starting, a new cycle of colonial exploitation will begin. We reject a future with deep sea mining."

"Having the opportunity to confront this ship with my authentic Māori self was incredible. We sent a very clear message to the ship and to the industry, that we will always be here and we will show up to protect the ocean."

The swimmers and climbers are now back onboard the Arctic Sunrise.

Māori activist Quack Pirihi (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Wai, Ngati Porou, Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara whakapapa) says the opportunity to participate in these forums, and the decisions made there will have a profound impact for generations to come.

"Standing here as a proud descendant of the fiercest tūpuna Māori is an honour that holds much responsibility. Our people are very rarely given the opportunity to speak in these forums, and by flying our Tino Rangatiratanga flag at the ISA meeting in Jamaica and here at sea, I am connecting not only myself to this kaupapa, but the mokopuna that will come long after me. This flag connects the movement for absolute sovereignty over ourselves in Aotearoa, to the movement of protecting our origin stories, and the moana."

This comes as a new study by the international wildlife charity Fauna & Flora found evidence that deep-seabed mining of rare minerals could cause "extensive and irreversible" damage to the planet.

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