ONBOARD SOS MEDITERRANEE Activities and observations of our rescue ship in the Central Mediterranean

SITUATION RECAP

All times are in UTC +1.

On March 17, Ocean Viking leaves the port of Syracuse, Sicily.

On March 25, Ocean Viking was alerted to a boat in distress in international waters off Libya by civil emergency hotline Alarm Phone. While proceeding to the distress case, the Libyan coastguard patrol vessel 656 arrived on the scene, dangerously approaching the Ocean Viking. All attempts by the bridge’s team to contact the Libyan coastguard vessel via VHF went unanswered while the crew of the Libyan coastguard patrol vessel started behaving aggressively, threatening with guns and firing gunshots in the air.

As the safety of the crew was under threat, the Ocean Viking sailed away from the scene at full speed, while the Libyan coastguard continued to fire shots. Civil surveillance aircraft Seabird 2, operated by the NGO Sea Watch, monitored the distress case.

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June 17, 2018
August 15, 2018
August 17, 2018
September 30, 2018
December 12, 2018
December 31, 2018
12:00

Aquarius is returned to its owner as the charter party terminates

August 23, 2019
September 14, 2019
September 24, 2019
October 8, 2019
October 16, 2019
October 30, 2019
November 19, 2019
November 28, 2019
December 20, 2019
January 17, 2020
January 24, 2020
February 23, 2020
July 7, 2020
July 22, 2020
February 26, 2021
April 7, 2021
May 16, 2021
September 3, 2021
October 5, 2021
November 12, 2021
December 25, 2021
January 10, 2022
10:00

PSC officers arrive onboard Ocean Viking to start an inspection.

21:00

The inspection is over. Ocean Viking is detained.

January 27, 2022
15:30

The Ocean Viking is released after a follow-up Port State Control in Trapani, Sicily.

February 9, 2022
14:00

Ocean Viking leaves the port of Trapani and goes to anchorage.

February 20, 2022
March 29, 2022
May 6, 2022
May 31, 2022
July 7, 2022
August 1, 2022
September 5, 2022
November 12, 2022
January 11, 2023
January 30, 2023
13:17

Ocean Viking leaves the port of Carrara for Syracuse.

February 2, 2023
07:49

Ocean Viking arrives in Syracuse, Italy.

February 18, 2023
March 17, 2023
08:30

Ocean Viking leaves the port of Syracuse, Sicily.

March 18, 2023
19:45

Ocean Viking starts drills at sea.

20:36

Drills completed.

March 25, 2023
09:15

Ocean Viking as a visual on a LYCG Patrol Vessel 656 sailing high speed towards the boat in distress.

09:22

Ocean Viking receives a VHF calls from the aircraft Seabird 2 from Sea-Watch.Org informing that they are heading to the boat in distress.

09:23

Ocean Viking calls LYCG Patrol Vessel 656 on VHF ch16 in English and in Arabic. No Answer.

09:25

Ocean Viking has a visual on the boat in distress.

09:40

Ocean Viking continues to call LYCG Patrol Vessel 656 on VHF ch16 in English and in Arabic. No Answer.

09:55

LYCG Patrol Vessel 656 contacts Ocean Viking on VHF ch16 in Arabic language ordering to sail to 034 direction, declaring Ocean Viking was in ‘Libyan waters’ despite current position being in international waters (36NM NE of Tripoli). Ocean Viking increases speed and replies, in Arabic, to LYCG Patrol Vessel 656 via VHF ch16 to keep clear as leaving the area.

09:58

Ocean Viking maneuvering towards direction 034 with 11.7Kts. Ocean Viking crew has not been injured during the gun shots. Seabird 2 still flying on scene of distress case.