Tan Thanh Lu

Place: Phu Quoc Island

Born: 1947

Biography:

Tan Thanh Lu, also known as Tan Lu, was born in 1947 on Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam. He was a 30-year-old businessman who meticulously planned his secret escape from the new Communist regime in Vietnam in 1975. Lu built a boat called 'Tu Do', which means 'Freedom' in Vietnamese, specifically for the voyage. He used it for fishing to avoid suspicion and to help pay for crucial supplies which were hidden in his fellow voyagers' homes. In September 1977, Lu and his group of 38 passengers set off in the dark, pushing the boat across tidal shallow water to maintain silence before starting the motor. They were able to escape Vietnam and arrive in Darwin, Australia, on 21 November 1977.