Eco-warrior flies into trouble with nuclear plant stunt in France

French energy officials said an environmen­tal paragliding activist was arrested after dropping a billowing smoke bomb onto the roof of a French nuclear reactor.

Video footage from the dramatic stunt yesterday morning showed the man flying away after he dropped the smoke bomb at the Bugey site 35km east of Lyon and begin circling the reactor to start his descent.

Greenpeace nuclear spokesman Yannick Rousselet said the spectacle by its activist was meant to “highlight the vulnerability of nuclear sites”.

Plant owner EDF has defended the site’s security measures, saying in a statement they “were strengthened in late 2011 (to) allow detection and immediate apprehension of the perpetrator”.

The name of the activist has not been released.