When a dead body and bags of heroin washed up on the southern coast of Australia, a dark tale began to unfold...

Richard Baker investigates the final journey of the Pong Su in a new podcast from The Age & Sydney Morning Herald.

Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts, and look out for episode 1 on October 8.

Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald.

When a dead body and bags of heroin washed up on the southern coast of Australia, a dark tale began to unfold...
Richard Baker investigates the final journey of the Pong Su in a new podcast from <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/">The Age</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/">Sydney Morning Herald.</a>
Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts, and look out for episode 1 on October 8.
Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to <a href="https://subscribe.theage.com.au/">The Age</a> or<a href="https://subscribe.smh.com.au/"> The Sydney Morning Herald.</a>

A North Korean dictator, bags of heroin, drug lords, spooks, sailors, Australian cops and a web of lies: Come aboard The Last Voyage of The Pong Su.

A North Korean dictator, bags of heroin, drug lords, spooks, sailors, Australian cops and a web of lies: Come aboard The Last Voyage of The Pong Su.

The Last Voyage of the Pong Su

When a dead body and bags of heroin washed up on the southern coast of Australia, a dark tale began to unfold...

Coming soon: The Last Voyage of the Pong Su

Nicholas Martin had a very important role in the Pong Su story, but it’s one he’s never talked publicly about until now. 

Nicholas was a navy clearance diver who boarded the Pong Su with the SAS troops. After clearing the ship for improvised explosive devices, Nicholas took command of the bridge and working with one of the captured North Koreans steered the Pong Su back to Sydney Harbour.

In this interview you’ll also hear about what it’s like to skipper a navy patrol boat in Australia’s northern water at the age of 20, and what it takes to be a clearance diver. 

The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald.A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays.

If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend.

Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )
Executive Producer - Rachael Dexter
Narrative Consultant - Kate Cole-Adams
Consulting Producer - Siobhan McHugh
Music & Composition - Vicki Hansen
Sound design & mixing - John Greenfield
Script translations - Yan Zhuang
Production assistance - Margaret Gordon
Head of Audio - Tom McKendrick

Nicholas Martin had a very important role in the Pong Su story, but it&rsquo;s one he&rsquo;s never talked publicly about until now.&nbsp;
Nicholas was a navy clearance diver who boarded the Pong Su with the SAS troops. After clearing the ship for improvised explosive devices, Nicholas took command of the bridge and working with one of the captured North Koreans steered the Pong Su back to Sydney Harbour. In this interview you&rsquo;ll also hear about what it&rsquo;s like to skipper a navy patrol boat in Australia&rsquo;s northern water at the age of 20, and what it takes to be a clearance diver.&nbsp;
<hr>
The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theage.com.au/">The Age</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/">Sydney Morning Herald.</a> A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays.
If you&rsquo;re enjoying this series, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-last-voyage-of-the-pong-su-podcast/id1481166968">leave a review on iTunes</a> and recommend us to a friend.
<hr>
Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: <a href="mailto:rbaker@theage.com.au">rbaker@theage.com.au</a> ) Executive Producer - Rachael Dexter Narrative Consultant - Kate Cole-Adams Consulting Producer - Siobhan McHugh Music &amp; Composition - Vicki Hansen Sound design &amp; mixing - John Greenfield Script translations - Yan Zhuang Production assistance - Margaret Gordon Head of Audio - Tom McKendrick

Nicholas was a navy clearance diver who boarded the Pong Su with the SAS troops. After clearing the ship for improvised explosive devices, Nicholas took command of the bridge and working with one of the captured North Koreans steered the Pong Su back to Sydney Harbour.

Pong Su extra: Taking the helm of the Pong Su

In episode 5 of 'The Last Voyage of the Pong Su', we hear from Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis - two men who were part of the Special Air Service Regiment tasked with a dramatic capture of the Pong Su.

In this extended interview you’ll hear about what happened before, during and after the day of this dramatic operation - as well  as their memories of the infamous Tampa affair of 2001 and conflict overseas.

Check out Ben and Tim's own podcast 'The Unforgiving60'.

The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald.A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays.

If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend.

Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )
Executive Producer - Rachael Dexter
Narrative Consultant - Kate Cole-Adams
Consulting Producer - Siobhan McHugh
Music & Composition - Vicki Hansen
Sound design & mixing - John Greenfield
Script translations - Yan Zhuang
Production assistance - Margaret Gordon
Head of Audio - Tom McKendrick

In episode 5 of 'The Last Voyage of the Pong Su', we hear from Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis - two men who were part of the Special Air Service Regiment tasked with a dramatic capture of the Pong Su. In this extended interview you&rsquo;ll hear about what happened before, during and after the day of this dramatic operation - as well &nbsp;as their memories of the infamous Tampa affair of 2001 and conflict overseas. Check out Ben and Tim's&nbsp;own podcast '<a href="https://www.unforgiving60.com/episodes">The Unforgiving60'</a>.
<hr>
The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theage.com.au/">The Age</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/">Sydney Morning Herald.</a> A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays.
If you&rsquo;re enjoying this series, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-last-voyage-of-the-pong-su-podcast/id1481166968">leave a review on iTunes</a> and recommend us to a friend.
<hr>
Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: <a href="mailto:rbaker@theage.com.au">rbaker@theage.com.au</a> ) Executive Producer - Rachael Dexter Narrative Consultant - Kate Cole-Adams Consulting Producer - Siobhan McHugh Music &amp; Composition - Vicki Hansen Sound design &amp; mixing - John Greenfield Script translations - Yan Zhuang Production assistance - Margaret Gordon Head of Audio - Tom McKendrick

In episode 5 of 'The Last Voyage of the Pong Su', we hear from Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis - two men who were part of the Special Air Service Regiment tasked with a dramatic capture of the Pong Su.  In this extended interview you’ll hear about what happened before, during and after the day of this dramatic operation - as well  as their memories of the infamous Tampa affair of 2001 and conflict overseas.

Pong Su extra: Mission planning with the SAS

Episode 10. After 16 years, the truth finally emerges about the tight bond between three of the key players in the heroin import and their ties to North Korea.

The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is  a 10-part series brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. 

If you enjoyed this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend.

To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites.

Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald.

Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )
Executive Producer - Rachael Dexter
Narrative Consultant - Kate Cole-Adams
Consulting Producer - Siobhan McHugh
Music & Composition - Vicki Hansen
Sound design & mixing - John Greenfield
Script translations - Yan Zhuang
Assistant Producer - Margaret Gordon
Head of Audio - Tom McKendrick

Actors:
Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy Song
Kiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony Ting
Yau Kim Lam is played by Jason Chong
Casting - Catapult Casting

Additional audio from: CNN

The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from The Truth the Dead Know by Anne Sexton - read by Jason Chong.

Episode 10. After 16 years, the truth finally emerges about the tight bond between three of the key players in the heroin import and their ties to North Korea.
<hr>
The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is&nbsp; a 10-part series brought to you by the newsrooms of <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/">The Age</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/">Sydney Morning Herald.</a>&nbsp;
If you enjoyed this series, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-last-voyage-of-the-pong-su-podcast/id1481166968">leave a review on iTunes</a> and recommend us to a friend.
<a href="https://www.theage.com.au/pong-su">To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites.</a>
Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to <a href="https://subscribe.theage.com.au/">The Age</a> or<a href="https://subscribe.smh.com.au/"> The Sydney Morning Herald.</a>
<hr>
Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: <a href="mailto:rbaker@theage.com.au">rbaker@theage.com.au</a> ) Executive Producer - Rachael Dexter Narrative Consultant - Kate Cole-Adams Consulting Producer - Siobhan McHugh Music &amp; Composition - Vicki Hansen Sound design &amp; mixing - John Greenfield Script translations - Yan Zhuang Assistant Producer&nbsp;- Margaret Gordon Head of Audio - Tom McKendrick Actors: Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy Song Kiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony Ting Yau Kim Lam is played by Jason Chong Casting - Catapult Casting
Additional audio from: CNN The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from The Truth the Dead Know by Anne Sexton - read by Jason Chong.

Episode 10. After 16 years, the truth finally emerges about the tight bond between three of the key players in the heroin import and their ties to North Korea.

Coming soon: The Last Voyage of the Pong Su

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