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

SITUATION RECAP:

On January 22, Ocean Viking leaves the port of Syracuse.

On January 25, Ocean Viking evacuates 95 people from a rubber boat in distress. Survivors report that several people had fallen overboard from the boat in distress prior to Ocean Viking’s RHIBs arrival. Ocean Viking searchs for the reported missing persons for hours, to no avail. Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety for all survivors onboard. Italian authorities designate Carrara as port of disembarkation for the 95 survivors onboard.

On January 29, Ocean Viking completes the disembarkation of all 95 survivors in the port of Carrara, Italy.

On February 4, Ocean Viking leaves the port of Syracuse, setting sail towards the central Mediterranean.

On February 5, Ocean Viking is engaged in a search for a boat reported in distress by an unidentified source.

On February 6, after numerous failed attempts to obtain information and coordination of the SAR event, MTRCC informs Ocean Viking that the event is being coordinated and that no assistance is required from Ocean Viking. Ocean Viking resumes her course towards the area of operation.

On February 9, Ocean Viking seeks shelter from bad weather in the port of Trapani, Sicily.

On February 11, Ocean Viking leaves the port of Trapani, setting sail towards the central Mediterranean.

On February 14, Ocean Viking evacuates 84 people from a rubber boat in distress.

On February 18, Ocean Viking completes the disembarkation of all 84 survivors in the port of Ravenna, Italy.

Search

January 22, 2023
12:41

Ocean Viking leaves the port of Syracuse.

January 23, 2023
January 24, 2023
10:18

Ocean Viking is in copy of an email sent by Geo Barents to LYJRCC, ITMRCC and MTRCC informing that she altered course towards the reported distress position.

January 25, 2023
07:13

Ocean Viking is in copy of an email sent by Geo Barents to LYJRCC, ITMRCC and MTRCC informing that she is initiating search for the last reported boat in distress alerted to by Alarm Phone.

09:10

Ocean Viking is in copy of an email sent by Geo Barents to LYJRCC, ITMRCC and MTRCC informing of the completion of the evacuation of 67 people (boat in distress alerted to by Alarm Phone at 07:01am)

11:04

Ocean Viking calls LYJRCC to report the distress alert by phone. No answer.

11:26

Ocean Viking calles LYJRCC via Sat Phone. No answer.

13:17

Ocean Viking calls the LYJRCC. No answer.

13:35

Libyan patrol vessel 660 arrives on scene. Ocean Viking establishes VHF 16 communication to inform about her capacity to perform the rescue and safely recover everyone.

14:00

All survivors are evacuated on board Ocean Viking’s three RHIBs. Disembarkation of survivors on Ocean Viking not possible due to Patrol Vessel 660 presence on Ocean Viking starboard side.

14:15

All 95 survivors are evacuated on board Ocean Viking. Recovering of the RHIBS impossible due to Libyan Patrol Vessel 660 high speed manoeuvres, generating big waves.

14:37

Ocean Viking informs LYJRCC via email, with ITMRCC and MTRCC in copy, of the completion of the evacuation.

15:20

Survivors on Ocean Viking reported that five or six persons fell overboard from the rubber boat in distress prior to Ocean Viking Rhibs arrival on scene. Ocean Viking returns to the rescue position to start a search pattern.

15:25

Ocean Viking calls LYJRCC to report the situation. No answer.

15:30

Ocean Viking reports the situation to LYJRCC via email.

19:10

Ocean Viking informs LYJRCC of the end of the unsuccessful search via email.

21:55

Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety for the 95 survivors onboard via email to LYJRCC, with ITMRCC and MTRCC in copy.

23:33

Ocean Viking receives an email from ITMRCC designating Carrara as port of disembarkation for the 95 survivors onboard.

January 26, 2023
00:39

Ocean Viking informs ITMRCC ETA for Carrara port of disembarkation and change course North

January 29, 2023
15:35

Ocean Viking arrives in the port of Carrara, Italy.

17:00

Disembarkation of the 95 survivors onboard Ocean Viking starts in the port of Carrara, Italy.

19:33

Disembarkation in the port of Carrara, Italy, of all 95 survivors onboard Ocean Viking is completed.

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 4, 2023
11:35

Ocean Viking leaves the port of Syracuse.

15:10

Ocean Viking starts drills at sea.

17:10

Rhib drills completed.

February 5, 2023
14:47

Ocean Viking starts drills at sea.

16:49

Rhib drills completed.

21:23

After several attempts to obtain coordination of the SAR event from MTRCC via Satellite Phone, Ocean Viking sends an email to MTRCC and ITMRCC seeking information and coordination of the reported distress case. 

February 6, 2023
07:27

After several failed attempts to obtain information and coordination of the SAR event by MTRCC throughout the whole night, Ocean Viking calls again MTRCC via Satellite Phone. A duty Officer replies that MTRCC is coordinating the event and that no assistance is required from Ocean Viking.  

February 7, 2023
18:00

Ocean Viking sets sail towards Sicily, to seek shelter from bad weather.

February 9, 2023
08:29

Ocean Viking starts drills at sea.

10:33

Rhib drills completed.

14:00

Ocean Viking arrives in Trapani, Italy, sheltering from bad weather.

February 11, 2023
07:04

Ocean Viking leaves the port of Trapani.

15:50

Ocean Viking starts drills at sea.

20:16

Drills completed.

February 13, 2023
11:37

Ocean Viking sails past a half sunk rubber boat, only the bow is still afloat.

February 14, 2023
04:52

Ocean Viking calls LYJRCC via Satellite Phone to report receipt of the distress alert. No answer.

06:48

Ocean Viking calls LYJRCC via Satellite Phone. The line cuts.

06:50

Ocean Viking calls LYJRCC via Satellite Phone. No answer.

06:50

OV is 3 Nm away from the boat potentially in distress and observes that the boat is unseaworthy, inapt for navigation in high seas, overcrowded with about 80 people on board, all exposed to the elements, no LSA available.

07:00

Ocean Viking RHIBs are being launched for closer assessment of the rubber boat possibly in distress.

07:10

Ocean Viking RHIBs assessed the following situation from the water: the rubber boat is unseaworthy, inapt for navigation in high seas, highly overcrowded with about 90 people on board, exposed to the elements, no Life Saving Appliances available. People onboard are requiring to be rescued.

07:14

Ocean Viking calls LYJRCC via Satellite Phone. No Answer.

08:19

Ocean Viking sends an email to LYJRCC, with ITMRCC and MTRCC in copy, informing of the completion of the recovery operation and requests for a Place of Safety.

09:25

Ocean Viking sends a MIR and a request for a Place of Safety for the 84 survivors onboard via email to LYJRCC, with ITMRCC and MTRCC in copy.

09:55

Ocean Viking receives an email from ITMRCC designating Ravenna as port of disembarkation for the 84 survivors onboard.

10:45

Ocean Viking informs ITMRCC with ETA for Ravenna port of disembarkation, sends requested information and changes course North

February 18, 2023
11:50

Ocean Viking arrives in the port of Ravenna, Italy.

12:43

Disembarkation of the 84 survivors onboard Ocean Viking starts in the port of Ravenna, Italy.

14:22

Disembarkation in the port of Ravenna, Italy, of all 84 survivors onboard Ocean Viking is completed.