Ocean Viking, in position 36 57 N 015 42 E is in copy of the following email from Alarm Phone “The people on board AP0508 called our hotline and gave us the following position: 35 21 001 015 46 598 @03:47 CEST 20 APR 2023. The people on board report the weather conditions are deteriorating; it is raining and they are fully exposed to the elements; they have no jackets. The people report they have been at sea for 5 days; they have no food and have not eaten for 2 days. They require immediate assistance. Please send rescue now. There is a reasonable certainty that the persons on board the case boat are threatened by grave and imminent danger of being lost at sea and require immediate assistance.”

the fiberglass boat is unseaworthy, overcrowded, with about 40 people on board, no lifejackets, all exposed to the elements. These people are requiring to be rescued. It is ascertained that the distress phase exists as the persons on board are threatened by grave and imminent danger of being lost and require immediate assistance. Relevant shipboard safety and environmental elements have been assessed and it is ascertained MV Ocean Viking has the capacity to recover all of these persons without creating serious danger to the ship and the persons thereon, in line with the provisions of Art. 98 of the UNCLOS Convention. Also, not any risk of pollution will result. As this is a case of force majeure (ref.SOLAS Art. IV) imposing to retrieve persons in danger of being lost at sea, as stipulated by the relevant International Maritime Conventions.

GPS-position with timestamp: N34 24 126 E018 54 605 @14:15 CEST

Ocean Viking swiftly alters course heading towards the target, about 3NM away, for further assessment and ready to provide first assistance.

Operator is informed and requests Ocean Viking to send an email.

The fiberglass boat is unseaworthy, inapt for navigation in high seas, overcrowded, all exposed to the elements. It is ascertained that the distress phase exists as the persons on board are threatened by grave and imminent danger of being lost and require immediate assistance.

Duty Officer is busy and operator instructs Ocean Viking to send an email.

Empty fibre glass boat white, left adrift in this position and marked “OV 27042023”.

GPS-position with timestamp: N34. 50.056, E015.36.165 @21:30, 27 April Type and color of the boat: white fiber boat

GPS-position with timestamp: N34 21 276 E016 57 466 @02:07 CEST 28 APR

Ocean Viking in position: 35 01 N 016 39 E, COG 060, SOG 10.4kts

All rhib recovered.

In position 34 40 N 012 30 E

In position 34 50,6 N 019 40,5 E