Ocean Viking noon position 42° 59.2′ N 005° 03.4′ E sailing at a speed of 9.4 knots

Wind: 30 knots from WNW

Waves: 4 meters

At 10:45, in position 40°09,8’N 007°07,6’E, Ocean Viking (OV) stops to conduct a drill. RIHBs are launched for rescue procedure exercises

Wind: 13 knots

Waves: 1.5 meters

At 12:10 drills are completed and OV is underway to the central Med

At 08:00, in position 37°56,9’N 008°20,7’E, Ocean Viking (OV) stops to conduct a drill. RIHBs are launched for rescue procedure exercises

Wind: 10 knots from E

Waves: 1 meters

Noon position: 37° 11,5′ N 011° 20,7′ E

Wind: 30 knots SE

Waves: 4 meters

Ocean Viking sends a “notice of readiness for SAR operations” to the Maltese MRCC, Italian MRCC and Libyan JRCC, copying EUNAVFOR Med.

Noon position: 34° 33.2′ N 12° 20.4′ E

Wind: 30 knots SE

Waves: 4 meters

Noon Position: 33° 14.2′ N 13° 50.0′ E

Wind: 15 knots W

Waves: 1.5 meters

Visibility: Poor ( 1 nautical mile)

Ocean Viking Position: 33° 18.9’ N 012° 39. 4 E

Ocean Viking alters course towards the distress position.

Ocean Viking reports by email to JRCC Tripoli (with ITMRCC, RCCMALTA and EUNAVFORMed in copy) the alert received via email from Alarm Phone, and informs that Ocean Viking is proceeding towards the distress position.

Ocean Viking spots a target on the radar in position 33° 24.34′ N 012° 46.3′ E and proceeds towards it.

Ocean Viking informs by email JRCC Tripoli (with ITMRCC, RCCMALTA and EUNAVFORMed in copy) about the target being spotted and the intention to launch the RHIBs. Alert phase: apprehension exists as to the safety of the boat and its occupants

White rubber boat is overcrowded, about 100 people on board, no lifejackets, all exposed to the elements and the bow section is totally deflated. Distress phase: the boat and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger and require immediate assistance.

No reply from 2 telephone numbers, the third is answered but no communication can be established as no English speaker is available at LYJRCC

Ocean Viking informs by email JRCC Tripoli (with ITMRCC, RCCMALTA and EUNAVFORMed in copy) about the distress situation and that the occupants of the white rubber boat will be transferred onto Ocean Viking.

Empty rubber boat in position 33-24.3N 012-50.6E is marked with “SAR 20.12.2019” and destroyed

Ocean Viking informs by email the JRCC Tripoli (with ITMRCC, RCCMALTA and EUNAVFORMed in copy) about rescue completion

[…] We respectfully request that, as the JRCC coordinating, you please  provide with the indication of a Place of Safety (as defined in the Annex to the 1979 SAR Convention, paragraph 1.3.2 and in the International Maritime Organization 2004 Rescue Guidelines) which fulfills all requirements under all applicable international laws, where the survivors can be safely and promptly disembarked. […]

While patrolling in the Libyan SRR in position 33-27.2N   012-04.3E, Ocean Viking receives two emails from  SeaWatch Airborne Operations (sent at 12h54 and 13h43, addressed to Maltese and Italian RCCs as well, but only received at 14h25) reporting a wooden boat spotted by Moonbird patrol airplane. The wooden boat is reported to be in distress. Last reported position 34-09’N 012-26’E, course 020, speed 8 knots. Ocean Viking alters course towards the target.

Ocean Viking reports by email to JRCC Tripoli (with ITMRCC, RCCMALTA and EUNAVFORMed in copy) the alerts received via email, and informs that Ocean Viking is proceeding towards last reported position of the wooden boat

Ocean Viking calls MTRCC, that confirms the wooden boat is in Maltese Search and rescue region. MTRCC informs that a Search and Rescue operation has been launched, but the wooden boat has not been reached yet. Ocean Viking maintains her course towards the wooden boat.

Ocean Viking in position 34-09.5’N 012-24.8E calls MTRCC, requesting Situation Report. MTRCC reports last know target position in 34-28’N 012-30’E at 15h40. Target course 000, speed 7.5 knots.

Ocean Viking receives an email from Alarm Phone (addressed to Maltese and Italian RCCs as well) reporting a distress call from a wooden boat

Frontex Aircraft VHF all ships call to alert of boat in distress in Position 34°58.38′ N 012°40.01’E.

Ocean Viking in position 34-46.4’N 012-37.9’E

MTRCC relays information from Frontex aircraft, that the target has changed course towards Ocean Viking. Ocean Viking informs that RHIBs will be launched for assessment.

Visual contact with wooden boat

Ocean Viking stops in position 35°03.4′ N 012°39.0′ E and prepares for launching the RHIBs.

wind SSW 20 knots, waves 2m.

The boat is overcrowded: 50 persons on board, without lifejackets, all exposed to the elements. Occupants are in grave and imminent danger and require immediate assistance.

Distress phase. Lifejacket distribution started.

Ocean Viking RHIBs evacuate the occupants from the wooden boat.

In position 35° 04.2′ N 012° 39.9′ E, Ocean Viking embarks last survivors from one of her RIHBs

Wooden boat marked “SAR 20/12/2019” and left adrift

Wooden boat marked “SAR 20/12/2019” and left adrift

Ocean Viking calls MTRCC informing rescue is completed. MTRCC informs that a Maltese Patrol Vessel is coming to Ocean Viking for transferring the 50 survivors of the wooden boat (case408) to the Maltese Patrol Vessel

ITMRCC calls Ocean Viking requesting information on SAR Operation just conducted (case408), in order to correlate such case with the wooden boat previously notified by Alarm Phone (case463).

Several telephone calls with MTRCC and ITMRCC about case correlation. Case463 seems to match with case408.

MTRCC informs point of rendezvous at 35°13’N 012°52’E with the Maltese Patrol Vessel

Agreed that vessels will stop at rendezvous point and assess situation for transfer operation.

Risk assessment results in no-go for transfer operation, because of the sea-state.

Ocean Viking resumes sea passage towards East of Sicily in order to seek shelter from the bad weather expected in the area.

Malta RCC requests Ocean Viking to remain on stand-by, awaiting instructions.

Ocean Viking raises the possibility to seek shelter in proximity of Malta in order to conduct the transfer in a timely manner, before weather conditions in the area deteriorate even further.

Malta RCC informs that Ocean Viking is not granted authorisation to enter Maltese territorial waters.

Ocean Viking informs that she will then continue on her route to seek shelter East of Sicily.

“[…]
We acknowledge that for the time being Maltese authorities are not granting to Ocean Viking the authorization to enter Maltese territorial waters in order to find shelter and safely conduct the transfer operation of the 50 survivors rescued under Malta RCC coordination.
[…] on the 20th of December, Ocean Viking requested a Place Of Safety to JRCC Tripoli for the disembarkation of the survivors rescued inside the Libyan SRR. No response has been received so far.
Ocean Viking is now formally requesting Maltese and Italian maritime authorities, which we consider as the RCCs better able to assist due to the geographical area of the SAR operation conducted and the current position of Ocean Viking, to cooperate as per SAR Convention and to facilitate finding a Place of Safety in order to disembark safely and as soon as possible all the 162 survivors on board the vessel.
While waiting for further instructions from you or those RCC’s who you would consider able to assist in this process, please be advised that due to the current weather condition in the area and the weather forecast for the next hours and days, Ocean Viking is currently proceeding to seek shelter off the Eastern coast of Sicily.”

Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC asking for Medical Evacuation for a 20 years old female patient that needs surgical attention in the next 24 hours. She is accompanied by her daughter of 1.5 years old and her sister of 18 years old.

3 survivors are winched into Italian Coast Guard Helicopter

Position 37°32.5’N 015°27.0’E

“Good evening,
Please be informed that the Italian Minister of Interior has assigned TARANTO as port of destination for M/V Ocean Viking with 159 POB.”

The 159 survivors are on land