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

SITUATION RECAP

 

Last update: 05/02/2021 at 10:30 (All times in UTC+1h)

 

– On June 22, Ocean Viking leaves the port of Marseille (FR)

– On June 25, Ocean Viking rescues 51 people from a wooden boat in distress in the morning and rescues 67 people from another wooden boat in distress by the end of day.

– On June 26, Ocean Viking requests a Place of Safety for the 118 survivors onboard.

– On June 27, Ocean Viking sends a second request for a Place of Safety.

-On June 29, Ocean Viking sends a third request for a Place of Safety in the morning and a survivor is medically evacuated at night.

– On June 30, Ocean Viking rescues 47 people from a wooden boat in distress at the end of day and rescues 16 people from a fiberglass boat in distress late at night.

– On July 1, Ocean Viking requests a Place of Safety for the 63 people rescued on June 30 and sends a new request later in the day for all 180 survivors onboard.

– On July 3, Ocean Viking seeks shelter from worsening weather conditions to the east of Sicily and informs authorities of suicide attempts and medical emergency onboard in the morning. A medical evacuation for 44 survivors in acute mental distress is requested at noon. Ocean Viking declares a State of Emergency by mid-day.

– On July 4, an Italian medical team boards Ocean Viking to assess the situation.

– On July 5, all survivors are tested for Covid-19 by an Italian medical team. Few hours later, Italian maritime authorities assign Porto Empedocle as a Place of Safety for the 180 survivors.

– On July 6 and 7, all survivors disembark from Ocean Viking. The SOS MEDITERRANEE crew is instructed to undergo a 14-day quarantine onboard the vessel.

– On July 22, the quarantine for the Ocean Viking crew ends. Following a Port State Control inspection in Porto Empedocle, the Master of Ocean Viking is presented with a notice of detention by the Italian authorities.

Search

June 22, 2020
08:30

Ocean Viking leaves the port of Marseille

June 23, 2020
June 24, 2020
June 25, 2020
June 26, 2020
09:28

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC and MTJRCC with Maritime Incident Reports (MIR) to request a Place of Safety for the 118 survivors

12:22

Ocean Viking is copied in an email from Alarm Phone to ITMRCC, MTJRCC and LYJRCC informing about a potential boat in distress in Libyan SRR

12:45

Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to inform she will proceed towards reported boat in distress

13:19

Ocean Viking informs via email, LYJRCC, ITMRCC and MTRCC that she will proceed towards reported boat in distress (ETA: 00:00Zulu)

16:15

Ocean Viking is copied in an email from Alarm Phone to ITMRCC about report of 8 deceased people onboard the boat in distress

16:24

Ocean Viking is copied in an email from M/V Mare Jonio informing that she is proceeding towards the boat in distress (ETA: 23:30CEST)

18:12

Ocean Viking is copied in an email from Alarm Phone to LYJRCC asking to confirm launch of SAR operation by LYJRCC and informing about report of newborn baby onboard the boat in distress

20:51

Ocean Viking overhears M/V Mare Jonio’s attempt to contact Libyan coastguard via VHF, no answer

21:24

Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC asking for updated information about the distress case. ITMRCC’s answer is to contact Libyan coastguard

21:29

Ocean Viking calls M/V Mare Jonio asking for updated information about the distress case. M/V Mare Jonio sees LYCG patrol vessel on the radar.

22:00

Ocean Viking is 46.5 NM from the target, proceeding at a speed of 12.3 kn.

23:18

Ocean Viking overhears M/V Mare Jonio’s VHF call to LYCG asking to confirm rescue and dead bodies. LYCG answer they have rescued more than 70 people and that the situation is under control.

23:25

Ocean Viking calls M/V Mare Jonio. M/V Mare Jonio informs she will remain in the area to investigate the wreck. Ocean Viking informs she will leave the scene.

23:50

Ocean Viking alters her course and leaves the area.

June 27, 2020
13:15

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC and MTJRCC with Maritime Incident Reports (MIR) and asks for a Place of Safety

June 29, 2020
11:16

Ocean Viking sends another email to ITMRCC and MTJRCC with Maritime Incident Reports (MIR) and asks for a Place of Safety

23:21

Medevac completed. Patient on board Italian Coastguard Vessel

Latitude: 35.583262
Longitude: 012.904261
June 30, 2020
08:15

Ocean Viking is in copy of an email sent by Alarm Phone to ITMRCC and MTJRCC, informing of a wooden boat in distress with approx. 50 people in position 35°0.085’N 12°18.441E

09:52

Ocean Viking alters course and informs ITMRCC and MTJRCC

11:49

Ocean Viking increases speed after receiving reports of medical emergencies on boat in distress from Alarm Phone and informs ITMRCC and MTJRCC

12:26

Ocean Viking is informed by Seabird about visual sighting of distress case

16:52

Ocean Viking establishes visual contact with boat in distress, updates relevant authorities

17:21

Ocean Viking launches 2 RHIBs

18:50

Ocean Viking receives an email from Moonbird with MTRCC in copy informing Ocean Viking of a distress case in her proximity

19:40

MTRCC calls Ocean Viking requesting engagement in search operation for potential distress case alerted by Moonbird

22:20

Possible target is visible on Ocean Viking’s radar

22:30

Ocean Viking informs MTRCC via phone that the Rescue team is going to investigate the potential distress case. Maltese Maritime Patrol Aircraft is circling over target

23:00

Ocean Viking launches first RHIB

23:01

Ocean Viking calls MTRCC to ask for instructions. MTRCC asks Ocean Viking to carry out assessment

23:07

Ocean Viking launches second RHIB

23:34

RHIBs report that boat in distress is very low on fuel, men, women and children on board are not equipped with life-saving appliances and requesting assistance

23:34

In a phone call, MTRCC grants permission to Ocean Viking to proceed with the rescue

July 1, 2020
01:59

Ocean Viking sends an email with Maritime Incident Reports (MIR) for the two last rescues to ITMRCC and MTJRCC and once again requests a Place of Safety

17:29

Ocean Viking is in copy of an email from Moonbird to ITMRCC and MTJRCC informing of two distress cases

17:54

Ocean Viking emails Moonbird with MTJRCC and ITMRCC in copy to ask for further information on the distress cases

18:05

Moonbird sends Ocean Viking an email with coordinates of both distress cases

18:37

Ocean Viking calls MTJRCC to ask for updated information on the distress cases. No new information is available. Ocean Viking informs that she will proceed to the last known positions of the distress cases

19:56

Ocean Viking informs MTJRCC by phone that she will remain in standby south of Lampedusa to render assistance if needed

21:55

Ocean Viking informs MTJRCC by phone that Ocean Viking will stand by in current position (35°31.8’N 013°01.2’E) unless instructed by MTJRCC to assist in a distress case

22:04

Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to request confirmation that the COVID-19 test of the survivor evacuated on June 29 was negative, as reported in the press

22:16

ITMRCC confirms to Ocean Viking by phone that COVID-19 test of evacuated survivor was negative

July 2, 2020
12:10

Two survivors recovered on the Ocean Viking

July 3, 2020
15:50

The CIRM (Italian Rescue Centre Telemedical Maritime Advice Service) emails Ocean Viking informing that they cannot handle the request for a medical evacuation of 44 survivors

17:17

Ocean Viking informs ITMRCC that the vessel is standing by to receive the Doctor who has requested to come onboard

18:33

Ocean Viking informs ITMRCC that the vessel is still standing by and that the situation onboard remains very tense

18:52

Ocean Viking requests that the Doctor sent by the Italian authorities comes onboard as soon as possible

19:28

Ocean Viking reiterates the nature and the declaration of the State of Emergency onboard from 15h55 to ITMRCC

22:30

Ocean Viking reiterates the nature and the declaration of the State of Emergency onboard from 15h55 to ITMRCC

23:54

ITMRCC relays the email reiterating the nature and the declaration of the State of Emergency on Ocean Viking to French and Norwegian authorities

July 4, 2020
12:45

A medical team from Pozzallo is onboard Ocean Viking.

18:24

Ocean Viking requests advice from the Norwegian Flag State regarding safety issues on board

July 5, 2020
00:53

Pozzallo Harbour Master informs Ocean Viking of transfer of medical team to perform Covid-19 tests on Ocean Viking and request an update of situation on board every 3 hours

11:29

The Italian medical team arrives onboard Ocean Viking to perform the Covid-19 tests for the 180 survivors.

12:05

Covid-19 tests begin.

13:25

Covid-19 tests are completed.

13:40

The Italian medical team is off Ocean Viking.

15:25

Italian MRCC assigns Porto Empedocle as a PoS for the 180 survivors

July 6, 2020
06:55

Port control instructs Ocean Viking to drop anchor

07:40

Ocean Viking drops anchor

14:16

Health autorities requests Ocean Viking to send the health report of the survivors

15:51

Ocean Viking sends the medical report from the doctor on board

18:09

Harbour master informs of pilot arrival time and that the results of the Covid-19 tests are awaited before proceeding with disembarkation

19:29

The pilot is onboard Ocean Viking.

20:00

The Ocean Viking is standing by a few meters from the berth

20:28

Harbour master informs the Ocean Viking of a 14-day quarantine for the ship after disembarkation

20:40

The Pilot is off Ocean Viking

22:40

Ocean Viking is moored in Porto Empedocle port

23:38

The 180 survivors start disembarking from Ocean Viking

July 7, 2020
03:12

All 180 survivors have disembarked from Ocean Viking

09:15

Harbour master instructs Ocean Viking to proceed to anchorage area for a 14-day quarantine.

10:40

Ocean Viking drops anchor and starts quarantine

July 8, 2020
18:57

Health autorities informs Ocean Viking that the results of the Covid-19 tests for the 180 survivors are negative

July 22, 2020
09:00

The quarantine for the Ocean Viking crew is officially over.