The Australian has launched The Flood, a four-part video and audio documentary series about the near-fatal flooding of HMAS Dechaineux in 2003.
The series examines how 60 Australian submariners fought to save their lives and the Collins-class submarine after a burst hose sent at least 12,000 litres of seawater into the lower motor room in about 12 seconds.
With access to the captain and crew, The Flood recounts the submarine’s deepest-dive emergency and the effort to bring it safely to the surface without loss of life.
Michelle Gunn, Editor-in-Chief of The Australian, said: “The Flood is an inspiring story of courage, resilience, teamwork and ingenuity, and a compelling example of the multimedia storytelling our newsroom specialises in.
“The documentary chronicles Australia’s closest peacetime brush with losing a submarine and its entire crew, told with power, care and rigour.”
Michelle Gunn
Cameron Stewart revisits the story
Cameron Stewart, Chief International Correspondent at The Australian, is the reporter and presenter of The Flood.
Stewart, who broke the original story, interviews the then-captain of HMAS Dechaineux, now-retired Commodore Peter Scott, for the series.
“I’ve wanted to tell this story for more than two decades. Two years after the incident, a contact whispered that the navy had nearly lost a submarine, and I chased the full truth for a cover story, but without the captain’s account I still had only three-quarters of it,” Stewart said.
“Now Peter Scott’s voice, raw, candid and deeply personal, anchors the series. It’s an extraordinary event in Australia’s history, 60 men and women coming together in desperate minutes to save their boat. It’s a survival story and an incredible human drama.”
The Flood is executive produced by Claire Harvey, Editorial Director of The Australian, and edited by Audio Lead Jasper Leak.
Where to watch and listen
The documentary launches on The Australian, with four episodes released weekly in both audio and video formats. It will also be supported by editorial coverage across the masthead.
Subscribers can watch and listen to The Flood through first access on The Australian app and website, and via Apple Podcasts, where listeners can link to their subscription.
After a two-week subscriber-first window, episodes will be available across platforms including YouTube and Spotify.
The Flood is sponsored by the Australian War Memorial.