Ocean Viking position: 33 11 N 014 16 E

Ocean Viking position 33 12 N 014 16 E

Reported distress position: N 33 092193 E 014 173127

The boat is blue, plastic. There are 5 women, 2 children. The people on the boat are urgently asking for help.

Ocean Viking position: 33 13 N 014 14 E

Ocean Viking position: 34 47.1 N 015 50.0 E 

While on course towards the reported distress position, Ocean Viking establishes contact with the ship VSC Triton, in the vicinity of the reported boat in distress. VSC Triton informs Ocean Viking that she is requested by Malta RCC to investigate the reported distress case and provide a situation report. 

Unable to obtain instruction from Malta RCC, Ocean Viking keeps proceeding towards the reported distress position. 

Ocean Viking position: 34 15.2 N 014 03.3 E 

Patrol vessel 660 and Patrol vessel 648 are in the vicinity of Ocean Viking.

Ocean Viking tries to establish communication on VHF ch16 to request cooperation for the search. No answer.

The persons on board are threatened by grave and imminent danger of being lost and require immediate assistance.

There is a reasonable certainty that the persons on board are threatened by grave and imminent danger of being lost and may require immediate assistance.

Updated distress position: 33 34 N 014 00 E

Boat stationary, unstable, engine stopped, low/minimal freeboard, pontoons bending with lot of pressure.

Ocean Viking is about 15 Nm away from the reported distress case.

GB is closer to the distress case (50NM away) and altered her course towards the reported distress position.

Ocean Viking sends an email requesting assistance in finding a Place of Safety to ITMRCC, with the Norwegian Maritime Authority in copy.

Ocean Viking sends an email requesting assistance in finding a Place of Safety to ITMRCC, with the Norwegian Maritime Authority in copy.

Ocean Viking sends an email requesting assistance in finding a Place of Safety to ITMRCC, with the Norwegian Maritime Authority in copy.

Ocean Viking sends an email requesting assistance in finding a Place of Safety to ITMRCC, with the Norwegian Maritime Authority in copy.

Ocean Viking sends requests for cooperation and coordination to identify a Place of Safety to 3 separate RCCs in France, Spain and Greece in 3 distincts emails.

Ocean Viking sends an email requesting assistance in finding a Place of Safety to ITMRCC, with the Norwegian Maritime Authority in copy.

Ocean Viking sends a request for assistance in finding a Place of Safety to ITMRCC, with the Norwegian Maritime Authority in copy.

Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety to ITMRCC, with the Norwegian Maritime Authority in copy.

Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety to ITMRCC, with the Norwegian Maritime Authority in copy.

Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety to ITMRCC, with the Norwegian Maritime Authority in copy.

Ocean Viking in position: 33 53 N 012 49 E informs that she launched 2 RHIBs to assess the situation: the boat is adrift, unseaworthy, overcrowded, with about 35 people on board, including women and children, without lifejackets, all exposed to the elements. Ocean Viking informs that she tried to contact Libyan Coast Guard by SAT phone to report the situation, with no avail. Ocean Viking reports that she will proceed to the assistance of these persons in distress and rescue them without delay, while keeping competent RCCs duly informed 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

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.“

Ocean Viking in position 33 30.2 N 012 25.3 E sends an email to JRCC Tripoli, with ITMRCC and MTRCC in copy, to inform that she spotted the boat in distress and launched two rhibs to assess the situation. The wooden boat is unseaworthy, overcrowded, with about 50 people on board without lifejackets and with women, all exposed to the elements. Ocean Viking informs that she tried to call JRCC Tripoli on two numbers, with no avail. Ocean Viking informs that she will proceed to the assistance of the persons in distress:

“MV Ocean Viking has no information on the availability of other vessels in the area which are capable/available to promptly recover these persons in distress and deliver them to a Place of Safety.

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.

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

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.

MV Ocean Viking will proceed to the assistance of these persons in distress and rescue them without delay, while keeping competent RCCs duly informed.

Please acknowledge receipt of this message.

Best regards

Bridge

Ocean Viking“

The following numbers are called: 00218 213 606 868: no answer, 00218 214 446 799: no answer.

Ocean Viking writes an email to JRCC Tripoli, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to seek coordination for the distress alert reported by Alarm Phone and informs that Ocean Viking tried to call JRCC Tripoli on two different numbers, with no avail. As there is a reasonable certainty that the persons on board are threatened by grave and imminent danger of being lost at sea and require immediate assistance, Ocean Viking informs that she is proceeding towards the target, about 10NM away, ready to provide assistance.

ITMRCC is advising Ocean Viking to contact the flag state SAR authority or the competent SAR authority of the area.CloseClose

ITMRCC is advising Ocean Viking to contact the flag state SAR authority or the competent SAR authority of the area.Close

ITMRCC is advising Ocean Viking to contact the flag state SAR authority or the competent SAR authority of the area.

ITMRCC advises to contact Ocean Viking flagstate SAR authority or the competent SAR authority of the area for the designation of a Place of Safety for the survivors onboard Ocean Viking

“Ocean Viking found an empty blue wooden boat without engine, adrift in the vicinity of the last known position. Ocean Viking resumes the navigation.”

Ocean Viking bridge estimates probable that this boat was the one searched for and reported in distress by Alarm Phone (AP 719)

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 387 survivors.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 387 survivors.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 387 survivors.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 387 survivors.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 387 survivors.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 387 survivors.

Ocean Viking informs that she is still in search operation about the distress case reported by the civil aircraft “Sea Bird”. Assuming that the rescue performed by the Italian Vessel Patrol is the same case, Lampedusa Radio copies the information and replies to stand by on Ch. 16 in case there are further information.

Ocean Viking is in position 35 16 N 012 39 E. Given the last two known position of the distress case, according to their course and speed, it is assumed that it is the opened distress case.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 387 survivors.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 387 survivors.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 387 survivors.

After three previous requests for the designation of a Place of Safety to the Libyan authorities, Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC, with LYJRCC in copy, requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 387 survivors.

Ocean Viking precises in the email that the rescue completed could match with the open distress case relayed by Alarm Phone (AP 543).

Ocean Viking is going to launch the RHIBs and investigate the case.

Malta RCC Officer replies to call our Flag State. Ocean Viking informed the duty officer that it will provide immediate assistance to these people in distress and rescue them without delay. Norwegian Flag State has been in copy and updated since the distress was alerted.

The Officer on duty report that Malta RCC is informed about the distress case and ask to contact our Flag State. Ocean Viking informs that our Flag State has been in copy and updated since the distress was alerted. The call gets disconnected.

The Officer on duty report that Malta RCC is informed about the distress case. Ocean Viking requires instruction to the duty officer, but the phone communication is broken, then lost.

Ocean Viking in position 35 10.9 N 012 15.5 E

“Our ship has the capacity to recover all of the people, to provide medical care and to transfer them to a place of safety in a reasonable period of time and we are equipped with a Hospital and a Morgue. Malta RCC responds that for Malta RCC there is no need of assistance from M/V Ocean Viking. And that Malta RCC will contact directly with MISKAR GASFIELD to arrange the disembarkation of survivors.”

While Ocean Viking is drifting in position 37 13.1 N 015 32.8 E, awaiting authorisation to disembark the survivors onboard in a Place of Safety, a man jumps overboard out of exhaustion and despair.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC, with LYJRCC and MTJRCC in copy, requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 294 survivors remaining onboard.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC, with LYJRCC and MTJRCC in copy, requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 295 survivors.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC, with LYJRCC and MTJRCC in copy, requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 295 survivors.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC, with LYJRCC and MTJRCC in copy, requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 295 survivors.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC, with LYJRCC and MTJRCC in copy, requesting assistance in the designation of a Place of Safety for the 295 survivors onboard.

Ocean Viking informs ITMRCC that she is heading towards the distress position previously reported by the Inmarsat text message.

LYCG patrol vessel subsequently asked Ocean Viking to perform the rescue.

The Libyan patrol vessel expresses its intention to intercept the boat in distress. Ocean Viking calls MT RCC by phone, but neither instructions nor coordination were provided.

Ocean Viking informs the LYCG that she is in capacity to perform the rescue operation of the people onboard the wooden boat in distress, including people with disabilities, in a safe way. LYCG refuses.

Ocean Viking asks for the ETA of LCG patrol vessel Ubari on the scene. The officer on watch confirms that Ubari was going to come on scene. No ETA provided.

Ocean Viking asks for the ETA of LCG patrol vessel Ubari on the scene. The officer on watch confirms that Ubari was going to come on scene. No ETA provided.

Ocean Viking asks for information on the case and on the coordination.

Frontex aircraft Osprey3 replies they are just performing a search and that they are not coordinating the case. Ocean Viking bridge specifies that Ocean Viking is a rescue vessel, well prepared for rescue operations with a medical team on board.

Ocean Viking sends an email to LYJRCC with ITMRCC, MTRCC and Alarm Phone in copy, to inform that at 1825Z, the following message was received via VHF CH 16: ‘MAYDAY MAYDAY for a boat in distress in position 33 28N 013 53E.’ MV Ocean Viking tried to contact via VHF CH16 the station sanding a Mayday Call: No Reply.

Ocean Viking informs ITMRCC about the mayday relay and asks ITMRCC to send a Navtex message to all ships.

M/V AIK replies and relays the message to Lampedusa Radio requesting instructions. Lampedusa Radio replies that the position is inside Libyan SRR and to contact Ocean Viking.

The Master of the Ocean Viking emails the Flag State authorities to inform of the critical situation on board. As advised by ITMRCC, the Master seeks advise from the Flag State since the request for an urgent medical evacuation has so far gone unanswered.

From: ITMRCC

To: MTJRCC

CC: Ocean Viking

“Following our previous e-mail, this MRCC informs RCC MALTA that at 1120UTC, M/V Ocean Viking called via satphone this MRCC reporting that the ship is sailing towards Pozzallo and not Malta (the nearest port) to evacuate 46 people for urgent MEDEVACs because RCC MALTA doesn’t respond to their calls. For any appropriate action, find attached the email from pv regarding urgent medevac request for 44 ppl due to psychological problems. Please note that at the moment of the first urgent medevac request, the ship was 25nm far from malta and 60nm from pozzallo”

The Ocean Viking sends a follow-up e-mail to MTJRCC, with LYJRCC and ITMRCC in copy, regarding the PoS request for disembarking the 276 survivors currently on board.

The Ocean Viking sends a follow-up e-mail to ITMRCC, with LYJRCC and MTJRCC in copy, regarding the PoS request for disembarking the 276 survivors currently on board.

The Ocean Viking tries to call the LYJRCC. The LYJRCC does not answer.

The Ocean Viking tries to call the LYJRCC. The LYJRCC does not answer.

The Ocean Viking tries to call the LYJRCC. The LYJRCC does not answer.

The Ocean Viking tries to call the LYJRCC. The LYJRCC does not answer.

The Ocean Viking tries to call the Libyan JRCC but the line is busy.

The Ocean Viking calls the Italian MRCC, asking if it is aware of the distress alerts. Duty officer confirms having received the information. The Ocean Viking informs that it has tried to contact the Libyan authorities without success and asks who to contact to coordinate SAR events in the area. The Italian MRCC suggests to contact the LYJRCC with an Arabic-speaker.

The Ocean Viking tries to call the LYJRCC. The LYJRCC answers, but no one speaks English.

The Ocean Viking calls the LYJRCC. The LYJRCC answer the phone. The Ocean Viking asks if somebody speaks English. The LYJRCC does not answer in English. The Ocean Viking mentions the words “rubber boat”, “people in distress”, “migrants”. The communication is not possible.

The Ocean Vikings tries to call the LYJRCC. The LYJRCC does not answer.

The Ocean Vikings tries to call the LYJRCC. The LYJRCC does not answer.

The Ocean Vikings tries to call the LYJRCC. The LYJRCC does not answer.

The Ocean Viking tries to call the LYJRCC again. The LYJRCC answers, informing that no one speaks English, only Arabic.

The Ocean Viking tries to call the LYJRCC. The LYJRCC does not answer the phone.

Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, UK, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Croatia, Belgium, Ireland, Gibraltar, Monaco, Switzerland, Malta

“Dear Sirs,

Please be informed that the Aquarius 2 has received an alert for a rubber boat in distress within the Libyan SRR at pos. 33-35.4 N 012-27-0E with between  100-150 pax on board. This information was received by the Maritime Patrol Aircraft(MPA) “Seagull 95.” Aquarius has tried to contact JRCC Tripoli but has had no answer (this has been consistently the case for a week regarding other SAR events). It is also important to note that we have consistently attempted to contact ITMRCC who in response informs us that we must contact JRCC Tripoli. Consistently, we have been trying all of this with no success. The confusion around the coordination of the rescue operation only delays the intervention and puts the lives of those in danger at further unnecessary risk. Since there is an ongoing conflict in Tripoli right now, perhaps JRCC Tripoli are unable to reply.

At present, the Aquarius 2 is proceeding towards the position of the distress. Seagull 95 has been trying to contact *** ***** (callsign ********  MMSI **********); however, this appears not to have worked. It is important to mention that *** ***** was in contact with MPA Colibri yesterday and was informed of a boat in distress with 30pax near their position. They informed the Colibri that they could not help and then moved away from the boat in distress leaving the people in danger. Again for this reason, the Aquarius 2 is proceeding towards the distress position and will assist immediately if needed as per International Maritime Law. We request that a RCC in a position to reply please coordinate this event for the safety of those people on board the boat in distress. Please send a InMarsat C alert to all vessels in the area. Weather conditions in the area are getting steadily worse over the coming hours and next days.

For any other questions please refer to our electronic logbook, available at onboard-aquarius.org.

Please acknowledge receipt of this message.

Best regards,”

Libyan JRCC answers Aquarius by email and requests that Aquarius contact another MRCC or its Flag State.

“Dear Sir,

Following your email, where you assess that “none of the Libyan ports are a place of safety for the survivors”, and considered that you don’t want to cooperate with Libyan Coast Guard, as Authority coordinating SAR operation in area.

Considering, also, that we don’t received a distress call, but you took these people, independently without any order from LCG.

Now I kindly suggest to you to contact another MRCC or your Flag State.

Regards”

According to the SAR Convention (1979), all information concerning a vessel in distress will be forwarded to the rescue co-ordination center concerned.

Chapter 4: Operating procedures

4.2.3 Any authority or element of the search and rescue service having reason to believe that a person, a vessel or other craft is in a state of emergency shall forward as soon as possible all available information to the rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre concerned.

According to the SOLAS Convention search and rescue units should proceed immediately to the distress event and inform the relevant rescue co-ordination centre.

Chapter V

Regulation 33: “Any search and rescue unit receiving information of a distress incident shall initially take immediate
action if in the position to assist and shall, in any case without delay, notify the rescue co-ordination centre or rescue
subcentre in whose area the incident has occurred”.

Aquarius calls the Tunisian MRCC on the phone to update about the situation. Tunisian MRCC replies “Can you call back on Monday? Our working hours are over, tomorrow is a day off. Our office is closed.” Aquarius details the situation and is given another phone number to contact.

Aquarius tries to call the LNCG on the phone number indicated on the Global SAR Plan, no reply.

Legal reference

IAMSAR Manual: Capabilities of a fully capable RCC required: 24-hour availability [Click here for legal reference]

Aquarius tries to call the LNCG on the phone number indicated on the Global SAR Plan, no reply.

Legal reference

IAMSAR Manual: Capabilities of a fully capable RCC required: 24-hour availability [Click here for legal reference]

Aquarius calls another of the LYJRCC numbers provided on GISIS, no reply.

Legal reference

A fully capable RCC must require the following capabilities: 

• 24-hour availibility
• Trained persons
• Persons with a working knowledge of the English language
• Charts which apply to the SRR (aeronautical, nautical, topographic and hydrographic)
• Means of plotting
• Ability to receive distress alerts, e.g from MCCs, CESs, etc.
• Immediate communications with:
  • associated ATS units
  • associated RSCs
  • DF and position-fixing stations
  • associated CRSs
• Rapid and reliable communications with:
  • parent agencies of SRUs
  • adjacent RCCs
  • designated meteorological offices
  • employed SRUs
  • alerting posts
• Plans of operation

[Click here for the legal reference]

Aquarius calls the LYJRCC via satellite phone to seek acknowledgment of receipt of email sent day before. The officer replying to the phone call does not seem to have the email.

Aquarius calls Italian MRCC to inform about the visual of the wooden boat and that Libyan authorities do not answer. Italian MRCC informs that Libyan authorities are coordinating.

“in a case where the RCC responsible for the area where the survivors are recovered cannot be contacted, attempt to contact another RCC, or if that is impractical, any other Government authority that may be able to assist, while recognizing that responsibility still rests with the RCC of the area in which the survivors are recovered”; [Read more]

Aquarius calls by Iridium phone the three numbers of the Libyan JRCC provided on GISIS. No answer.

It’s part of the duties of the Master to inform the RCC responsible for the SRR about the evolution of the situation : “keep the RCC informed about conditions, assistance needed, and actions taken or planned for the survivors (see paragraph 6.10 regarding other information the RCC may wish to obtain);” [Read more]

23h50 Aquarius calls on satellite phone the three numbers of the Libyan JRCC provided by the Global SAR Plan on GISIS. No answer in any of the three phone numbers.

00h27 Aquarius calls again in the same phone numbers, no answer.

01h15 Aquarius calls again in the same phone numbers. Someone answers one of the phone numbers with very low level in English English.