F-111 strikers bomb heroin boat

F-111 strikers bomb heroin boat Pong Su
Thursday Mar 23 19:31 AEDT

The North Korean freighter used to smuggle 150kg of heroin into Australia three years ago now rests on the ocean's bottom, destroyed by a pair of laser-guided bombs.

Four F-111 strike bombers flying from RAAF Amberley in Queensland proved dead on target as the 3,500 tonne freighter drifted 140km off Jervis Bay on Thursday morning.

Two 2,000-pound (800kg) precision guided bombs struck the Pong Su's hull with massive blasts, showering debris over a wide area. The vessel sank quickly into deep water.

The Pong Su was seized off the NSW coast in April 2003 at the conclusion of a four-day chase involving Australian soldiers, police and Customs officers after it was spotted dropping a cargo of drugs along the Victorian coast.

The vessel sat in Sydney Harbour up to this week, costing the Australian taxpayer an estimated $2,500 a day.

Earlier this month, four Pong Su officers accused of aiding and abetting the importation of heroin were acquitted and released. Four others involved in the operation pleaded guilty and two have been jailed.

Lawyers for the vessel owners say they are considering suing the Australian government for seizure of the ship and loss of earnings.

But Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said Australia was fully entitled to sink the vessel.

"The law is very clear on this matter," he said.

"The convictions of four people for drug smuggling, including one crew member, have established the Pong Su was used by a North Korean drug syndicate to land heroin on the Australian shoreline."

Mr Ruddock said the conclusion of legal proceedings meant the Pong Su could be considered narcotics-related goods and dealt with in such a manner as the Australian Federal Police considered appropriate.

He said there had been extensive discussions and the preferred option was for the Pong Su to be sunk at sea.

"The Pong Su was used in an attempt to bring heroin to Australia and it will never be put to that use again," Mr Ruddock said.

"I'm sure all Australians will consider this an appropriate fate for such a vessel."

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Australia remained concerned about possible ties with the North Korean government, which has persistently denied any involvement.

"We have raised that with the North Korean government on a number of occasions, most recently in the last couple of weeks," he said.

"This isn't, after all, a private sector economy where private companies are doing things on their own accord. This is a command economy.

"It is very important that the North Korean government makes sure, in future, that none of its ships are engaged in these sorts of activities.

"It is appropriate that we publicly demonstrate our outrage at what has happened by sinking this ship."

The Pong Su was prepared for her final voyage by removing all potentially polluting fuel and oil.

Maritime commander Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas admitted the navy would have liked the honour of dispatching the Pong Su either by surface gunfire or by submarine torpedo.

"But we couldn't get the gear over here for it. So we gave it to the air force," he said.

 

They only convicted one crew member?

http://au.news.yahoo.com/060310/2/y6my.html

How many on board a 3,500 tonne freighter?