SITUATION RECAP
All times are in UTC +2.
On April 17, Ocean Viking leaves Syracuse, Sicily.
On April 21, Ocean Viking evacuate 29 shipwrecked persons from an adrift boat in distress. Survivors explains that they spent 5 days at sea without assistance. Shortly after, ITMRCC designates Bari, Italy, as a Place of Safety.
On April 23, all survivors disembarked in Bari. Rescue is completed.
On April 26, Ocean Viking leaves the port of Syracuse after a short portcall.
On April 27, Ocean Viking evacuates 15 persons in distress in the Maltese Search and Rescue Region.
On April 28, Ocean Viking completes the evacuation of three boats in distress in the Maltese Search and Rescue Region, in less than 7 hours, all closely coordinated by ITMRCC. 59, 65 and 29 persons in distress are evacuated. Ocean Viking receives the instruction from ITMRCC to disembark the 168 survivors in Civitavecchia, Italy.
On May 2, the disembarkation of the 168 survivors is complete in Civitavecchia.
On May 9, Ocean Viking leaves the port of Syracuse, Sicily but goes back to seek shelter from bad weather on May 15. The ship leaves again the port on May 21 towards the area of operations.
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
February 18, 2023
April 4, 2023
April 17, 2023
20:00
Ocean Viking leaves Syracuse.
April 18, 2023
14:03
Ocean Viking starts drills at sea.
15:48
Drills completed.
20:20
Ocean Viking starts night drills at sea.
22:40
Drills completed.
April 20, 2023
05:16
Ocean Viking calls via Sat Phone Malta RCC to ask about mentioned distress case, operator stated the Duty Officer was busy and asked to send an email.
05:40
Ocean Viking sends an email to Malta RCC to update about the distress case. Ocean Viking is proceeding towards the boat in distress, about 90NM away, ready to provide first assistance.
12:48
Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC, requesting for medevac of one passenger. Also emails MTRCC to inform that for this reason Ocean Viking is no longer in the capacity to continue to respond to this distress case.
19:10
MEDEVAC is completed in the Port of Syracuse. Ocean Viking sends an email to ITRMRCC to update them about the situation.
19:10
Ocean Viking is in copy of an email from ‘Watch The Med – Alarm Phone’ giving a new position of the boat in distress reported earlier.
19:37
Ocean Viking calls via Sat Phone Malta RCC to ask about an update on mentioned distress case, operator states the Duty Officer is busy and asks to send an email.
19:55
Ocean Viking sends an email to Malta RCC to update about the distress situation and that Ocean Viking is proceeding towards the last reported position, about 65NM away, ready to provide first assistance.
23:48
Ocean Viking receives an email from ‘Watch The Med – Alarm Phone’ with an updated position for the boat in distress and with a report that the boat is out of fuel and drifting.
April 21, 2023
00:20
Ocean Viking sends an email to Malta RCC to update on the situation and informed that Ocean Viking RHIBs are going to be launched.
00:50
Ocean Viking tries to contact Malta RCC by Sat Phone to report above situation: “Duty Officer is busy, please send an email”
01:16
Ocean Viking sends an email to Malta RCC to inform them.
02:00
Ocean Viking completes the recovery operation of the persons in distress. 29 shipwrecked persons have been safely brought on board Ocean Viking. Empty Fiberglass boat, white colour, two outboard engines left adrift in this position.
Latitude: 36.16
Longitude: 15.20
02:10
Italian coastguard Patrol Vessel CP320 on scene, in communication via VHF 16/11 instructs Ocean Viking to call Malta RCC.
02:13
Ocean Viking calls Malta RCC to update about the recovery operation completed and to seek further instruction, but Duty Officer was busy and operator instructed to send an email.
02:25
Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to update about the above situation and to seek further instructions, Duty Officer copies the information and request to send an email.
02:47
Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC to inform about the recovery operation being finished and asking for a Place of Safety.
04:22
Ocean Viking receives an email from ITMRCC designating Bari, Italy, as Place of Safety for the 29 survivors onboard.
05:18
Ocean Viking sends the Maritime Incident Report with the timeline of events and the medical report to ITMRCC. Ocean Viking also informs about the ETA to Bari Harbour.
April 23, 2023
09:53
Disembarkation of the 29 survivors onboard Ocean Viking starts in Bari.
10:16
Disembarkation complete.
14:02
Ocean Viking leaves the port of Bari.
April 27, 2023
16:04
Ocean Viking calls RCC Malta to inform about an internet connection issue and update on the above situation.
16:11
Ocean Viking sends an email to Malta RCC, with ITMRCC and NMA in copy, to update on the above situation, from a different email address which is the SAR Coordinator onboard, on behalf of Ocean Viking bridge.
16:33
Ocean Viking sends an email to Malta RCC informing that recovery operation is completed and requesting a Place of Safety.
17:09
Ocean Viking sends an email to MTRCC stating that Ocean Viking is proceeding to a distress case reported by Alarm Phone, about 280NM East of actual position, ready to provide first assistance.
17:26
Ocean Viking is in copy of an email of Seabird updating about a distress case, believed to be similar to the Alarm Phone case reported earlier.
17:34
Ocean Viking receives an email from ITMRCC designating Civitavecchia, Italy, as Place of Safety for the 15 survivors onboard.
18:00
Ocean Viking sends the Maritime Incident Report with the timeline of events and the medical report to Malta RCC, with ITMRCC and NMA in copy. Ocean Viking acknowledges the Place of Safety while heading to the open distress case, where she will proceed until it is confirmed that assistance is no longer necessary.
18:06
RCC Malta replies to Ocean Viking stating that : “You have been informed by RCC Malta that your intervention was not requested. For any interceptions on International waters your responsible competent authority is your Flag State”.
19:43
Ocean Viking receives an email from ITMRCC instructing the ship to proceed towards the last know position of distress case 34°28’N – 018°47’E at 1535Z, in order to provide the necessary assessment (type of boat, number of people, buoyancy, ect.) and any useful information to this MRCC for their further instruction.
20:27
Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC, with RCC Malta and NMA in copy, to acknowledge ITMRCC instruction to proceed towards the distress case.
23:05
Ocean Viking calls via Sat Phone RCC Malta to ask information about the distress case. Duty Officer is busy and operator requests to send an email.
23:11
Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC via Sat Phone to ask information about the new distress case and to seek coordination. Duty Officer instructs Ocean Viking to proceed towards this new distress case first, and to give an assessment of this case. Duty Officer also provides Ocean Viking with a new position as follows: 35 10 N 015 34 E.
23:59
Ocean Viking calls Malta RCC to seek coordination. Duty office is busy and ask Ocean Viking to send an email.
23:59
Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to seek coordination. Italian duty Officer instruction is to first proceed towards the new Alarm Phone case, which is closer to the Ocean Viking current position, and give an assessment before proceeding to the former distress case.
April 28, 2023
04:07
Ocean Viking calls via Satellite phone the ITMRCC to ask information about the new distress case and to seek coordination. Duty Officer instructs Ocean Viking to keep proceeding to the second distress case. Ocean Viking is proceeding towards the boats which are reported to be two distress boats about 100NM away, ready to provide first assistance.
09:44
Ocean Viking receives a call via Satellite Phone from ITMRCC to provide updated positions of the two nearby boats in distress spotted by a Frontex Air Asset.
10:21
Ocean Viking has a visual on the boat in distress.
10:29
Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to confirm positive visual and seek for instructions. ITMRCC replies to assess the situation and report back. Ocean Viking keep informing ITMRCC giving instructions during the entire evacuation.
10:40
Ocean Viking RHIBs lowered in the water for further assessment.
10:52
Assessment from the RHIBs : white wooden boat with approximatively 60 persons on board. No Life Saving Appliances, children, very overcrowded. Persons onboard request for assistance.
11:00
Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC via Sat Phone to update about above situation and ask for further instructions. ITMRCC acknowledges that the boat is in distress and instructs Ocean Viking to proceed with the recovery of the persons in distress.
11:26
Ocean Viking completes the evacuation of 59 people in distress. Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to inform about the above situation. ITMRCC instructs Ocean Viking to proceed to the last distress case recieved.
Latitude: 34.8333333
Longitude: 16.4500000
12:31
Ocean Viking has a visual on the second boat in distress.
12:31
Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to inform about above situation. Ocean Viking is instructed to lower the rescue boats in the water for further assessment of the situation and to report back to ITMRCC.
12:34
Ocean Viking RHIBs lowered in the water. First assessment of the boat: White wooden boat with approximatively 50 persons on board including women, children, a disabled person and a pregnant woman. No Life Saving Appliances. They confirm their will to be rescued.
13:11
Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC via Sat Phone to update about above situation. Instructions are given by ITMRCC to proceed with the recovery of the persons in distress.
14:00
Ocean Viking completes the evacuation of 65 persons in distress. Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to inform about the above situation. ITMRCC instructs Ocean Viking to proceed to the first distress case reported by Alarm Phone and provides updated information of last known position of distress boat. ITMRCC gives the instruction to coordinate with cargo vessel APL Miami who is in the vicinity.
Latitude: 35.0000000
Longitude: 16.6166667
15:05
Cargo vessel APL Miami enters in contact with Ocean Viking on VHF CH16 to say that they have the boat in distress in visual and that they are providing a lee waiting for Ocean Viking to arrive on location.
16:13
Ocean Viking calls APL MIAMI on VHF Ch. 16 to ask for updates. APL Miami confirms case boat is on their port side.
16:15
Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to report about that she has a visual on the boat in distress. ITMRCC instructs Ocean Viking to lower the RHIBs in the water to assess the situation and report back. Ocean Viking informs ITMRCC during the entire evacuation and ITMRCC gives back instructions.
16:40
Ocean Viking RHIBs lowered in the water, proceeding to assess the situation.
16:53
Ocean Viking RHIBs assesses following situation : Grey fiberglass boat with approx. 30 persons including women and children, no Life Saving Appliances. People claiming to be at sea for 5 days and confirm their will to be rescued.
16:54
Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to report about the above situation. ITMRCC instructs Ocean Viking to proceed with the recovery of the people in distress.
17:20
Ocean Viking completes the evacuation of 29 persons in distress.
Latitude: 35.2500000
Longitude: 17.0166667
17:39
Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC (with RCC Malta and NMA in copy) to inform that the evacuation has been completed.
18:26
Ocean Viking receives the instruction from ITMRCC to proceed to Civitavecchia without delay to disembark the 168 survivors onboard.
20:36
Ocean Viking informs ITMRCC that the ETA in Civitavecchia Harbour will be on 02nd MAY at 0700 and sends the Maritime Incident Report to ITMRCC with RCC Malta and NMA in copy.
May 2, 2023
07:46
Ocean Viking arrives in the port of Civitavecchia, Italy.
08:15
Disembarkation of the 168 survivors onboard Ocean Viking starts in the port of Civitavecchia, Italy.
11:08
Disembarkation in the port of Civitavecchia Italy, of all 168 survivors onboard Ocean Viking is completed.
17:22
Ocean Viking leaves the port of Civitavecchia.
May 5, 2023
12:38
Ocean Viking arrives in the port of Syracuse, Sicily.
May 9, 2023
13:10
Ocean Viking leaves the port of Syracuse.
13:41
Ocean Viking calls MTRCC to ask for an update on an open distress case reported earlier by Alarm Phone. Answer is that duty officer is busy and asks to send an email.
13:43
Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to ask for an update on an open distress case reported earlier by Alarm Phone. Answer is that distress case being in Maltese SRR, they have no information to share.
May 10, 2023
13:00
Ocean Viking starts drills at sea.
May 12, 2023
14:45
Ocean Viking proceeds north to seek shelter due to degrading weather.
May 15, 2023
06:00
Ocean Viking arrives in the port of Syracuse to shelter from bad weather.
May 21, 2023
10:20
Ocean Viking leaves the port of Syracuse towards the area of operations.
May 22, 2023
