OPERATION - 18 December 2022-11 January 2023

On December 18, Ocean Viking leaves the port of Marseille.

On December 27, at 04:44 Ocean Viking evacuates 113 shipwrecked people from an unseaworthy rubber boat in the Maltese Search and Rescue Region.

At 06:35 Ocean Viking receives an email from the ITMRCC giving the instruction to proceed to La Spezia, Italy to disembark the 113 survivors on board.

At 11:08, Ocean Viking receives an email from the ITMRCC to inform of change of place of safety and to proceed to Ravenna, Italy instead of La Spezia.

On December 31, Ocean Viking completes the disembarkation of the 113 survivors onboard in the port of Ravenna, Italy.

On January 2, Ocean Viking leaves the port of Ravenna, Italy.

On January 7, Ocean Viking evacuates 37 persons from a rubber boat in distress. Shortly after the operation, the port of Ancona, Italy, is assigned as place of safety by Italian MRCC.

On January 11, Ocean Viking completes the disembarkation of the 37 survivors on board in the port of Ancona, Italy.

December 18, 2022

09:00 Ocean Viking leaves the port of Marseille, France.

December 19, 2022

12:58 Ocean Viking arrives in the port of Barcelona for bunkering.

December 21, 2022

07:58 Ocean Viking leaves the port of Barcelona, Spain.

Position: 41 01N 001 50.8 E

17:17 Rhibs drills completed.

December 22, 2022

41°31,3 N 002°58,4 E

17:43 Rhibs drills completed.

December 23, 2022

42°02N 003°41E

16:31 Rhibs drills at sea completed.

19:04 Ocean Viking starts night drills.

21:17 Night drills completed.

December 26, 2022

Ocean Viking receives an email from Alarm Phone addressed to Tripoli JRCC, ITMRCC and MTRCC, stating that a boat is in distress, with approximately 43 shipwrecked persons onboard.

Ocean Viking receives an email from Alarm Phone addressed to Tripoli JRCC, ITMRCC and MTRCC, stating that a boat is in distress, with approximately 110 shipwrecked persons onboard.

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. 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 73NM away, ready to provide assistance.

December 27, 2022

Ocean Viking receives an email from Alarm Phone addressed to Tripoli JRCC, ITMRCC and MTRCC, stating that a boat with approximately 106 shipwrecked persons onboard, including women, a pregnant women and children, is in distress 22 NM from her.

The boat is unseaworthy, overcrowded, with more than 100 people on board (including children and women), on sponsons with no lifejackets, 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.

Ocean Viking in position: 34 20 N 012 50 E informs that she launched 3 RHIBs to assess the situation: the black rubber boat is unseaworthy, overcrowded, with more than 100 people on board, people on sponsons, no lifejackets, children, women, all exposed to the elements.

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.“

04:00 Lifejacket distribution starts.

04:12 Lifejacket distribution completed.

Ocean Viking in position 34 20N 12 50E

Latitude: 34.33333
Longitude: 12.83333

“Dear Sirs/Madams,

Please be informed that, at 0345 UTC in position 34 20N 12 50E, MV Ocean Viking completed the rescue of the boat in distress.
90 (number to be confirmed) shipwrecked persons have been safely brought on board MV Ocean Viking.

Complete information will be sent asap with Maritime Incident Report.

Please acknowledge receipt of this message.

Kind Regards

Bridge Ocean Viking“

05:09 Rhibs recovered.

05:14 Ocean Viking resumes search of previous open distress case and informs JRCC Tripoli, with ITMRCC and MTRCC in copy

06:35 Ocean Viking receives a call from the ITMRCC giving the instruction to proceed to La Spezia, Italy, for the disembarkation of the 113 survivors onboard.

“DEAR SIRS
PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT THE COMPETENT NATIONAL AUTHORITY HAS ASSIGNED TO YOUR VESSEL THE PORT OF LA SPEZIA AS place of safety. YOU MUST GO IMMEDIATELY THERE AND MUST NOTIFY THE PORT OF LA SPEZIA.
ALSO PROVIDE US AS SOON POSSIBLE YOUR ETA AT LA SPEZIA HARBOUR .
BEST REGARDS
Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre
Italian Coast Guard Headquarters“

Ocean Viking receives an email from Alarm Phone addressed to Tripoli JRCC, ITMRCC and MTRCC, stating that a black rubber boat with approximately 71 shipwrecked persons onboard, including women and children, is taking water.

Ocean Viking sends the MIR report to MTRCC with JRCC Tripoli, ITMRCC and the Norwegian Maritime Authority in copy.

34 05N 12 55E

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. 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 ready to provide assistance to the boat, about 35NM away.

“DEAR SIRS
PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT THE COMPETENT NATIONAL AUTHORITY HAS INDICATED TO YOUR VESSEL THE PORT OF RAVENNA AS place of safety. YOU MUST DIRECT IMMEDIATELY THERE AND MUST NOTIFY THE PORT OF RAVENNA. ALSO PROVIDE US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE YOUR ETA TO RAVENNA HARBOUR, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONS ON BOARD AND THE NUMBER OF EVENT THAT YOU HAVE PERORMED.
BEST REGARDS
Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre
Italian Coast Guard Headquarters“

34 11N, 012 51E

34 02N 012 37E

14:26 Ocean Viking informs MRCCs about interception of the distress case and resumes her course.

16:03 Ocean Viking informs ITMRCC ETA for Ravenna Place of Safety and change course North

December 31, 2022

12:04 Ocean Viking arrives in the port of Ravenna, Italy

12:58 Ocean Viking starts disembarkation of the 113 survivors onboard in the port of Ravenna, Italy.

15:22 Disembarkation of the 113 survivors onboard Ocean Viking is completed in the port of Ravenna, Italy.

January 2, 2023

14:13 Ocean Viking leaves the port of Ravenna, Italy.

January 4, 2023

08:50 Ocean Viking starts drills at sea.

40 16N, 018 46E

January 6, 2023

Ocean Viking Position: 31 17N 12 21E

Ocean viking position: 33 31N 012 28E

distress position: 35 12N 011 57E

22:55 Ocean Viking tries multiple times to contact MTRCC, to no avail.

The duty officer replies to call MTRCC, despite Ocean Viking informing Italian duty officer of the failed previous attempts to contact Maltese RCC.

Ocean Viking is 102 NM away from the known distress position.

23:45 Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to seek information on the distress case. Duty officer informs that a vessel is engaged in the search.

Ocean Viking position at 23:49: 33 33N 012 25E

January 7, 2023

Ocean Viking position: 33 23N 12 24E

Uncertainty phase: uncertainty exists as to the safety of the boat and its occupants.

06:59 Ocean Viking reports by email to JRCC Tripoli, IT MRCC, MT MRCC (no reply) that Ocean Viking is proceeding towards the distress position.

07:08 Ocean Viking launches RHIBs to assess the situation.

The Rubber boat is overcrowded, about 40 people on board, no lifejackets, women, all exposed to the elements. survivors require assistance.

distress phase: the boat and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger and require immediate assistance. RHIBs initiate to distribute lifejackets

07:20 Completion of the life Jackets distribution

07:25 RHIBs start the evacuation of survivors onboard the Ocean Viking.

Rescue position: 33 22N 012 25E

Latitude: 33.66666
Longitude: 12.41666

07:51 Ocean Viking informs JRCC Tripoli, ITMRCC and MTMRCC that the rescue is completed.

07:52 Ocean Viking resumes navigation.

‘Dear Sirs,

please be informed that the National Competent Authority has assigned you the following port of safety: ANCONA.

For the above, please provide this MRCC your ETA in ANCONA harbour.

Best Regards

09:26 Ocean Viking sends the Maritime Incident Report of the rescue operation and requests a Place Of Safety in an email adressed to JRCC Tripoli, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy.

As per current forecast, the weather in the central Mediterranean Sea and in the Adriatic Sea will deteriorate significantly from Monday 09 January.
General survivor condition on embarkation was fragile with significant exposure to fuel including burns and intoxication, exhaustion and general weakness. In addition, several survivors have presented with chronic conditions and long untreated medical issues. Repeated exposure to poor weather during a prolonged journey could be detrimental to survivor’s wellbeing and could pose a significant risk to their health in the coming days Underway to Ancona.

Dear Sirs,

PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT THE NATIONAL COMPETENT AUTHORITY CONFIRMED THE PORT OF SAFETY: ANCONA.

Best Regards

January 10, 2023

20:07 Ocean Viking arrives in the port of Ancona, Italy

22:11 Ocean Viking starts disembarkation of the 37 survivors onboard in the port of Ancona, Italy.

January 11, 2023

01:01 Disembarkation of the 37 survivors onboard Ocean Viking is completed in the port of Ancona, Italy.