Operation 20-26 February 2026

February 20, 2026

20:00 The Ocean Viking proceeds toward the Area of Operations.

February 22, 2026

Our hotline received information on a boat in distress at sea:
Number of people: 90
Phone number on board: 008821621291320
GPS-position with timestamp: GPSWPT A Lat N 034 Deg 046'047.559" Lon E
011 Deg 053'005.928" Alt 00003m 21:37:52Z 22.02.26 (22:37:52 CET)
Type and color of the boat: Wooden boat
Life Vests: unknown
General conditions: One engine is not running anymore, one engine is still
going

Latitude: 34.52
Longitude: 012.20

23:24 The Ocean Viking contacts MRCC Tunis via satellite phone regarding distress case AP0095.

22 02 2026 / 22:33Z
MV OCEAN VIKING in position: 34 52 N 012 17 E

MV Ocean Viking - 22022026 - SAR CASE AP0095 - SITREP 1

Dear Sirs, Madams,
At 22:09 UTC Ocean Viking, in position 34 52 N 012 20 E , received by email
a distress alert from Alarm Phone (please find email further below) with
the following information:

QUOTE
Our hotline received information on a boat in distress at sea:
Number of people: 90
Phone number on board: 008821621291320
GPS-position with timestamp: GPSWPT A Lat N 034 Deg 046'047.559" Lon E
011 Deg 053'005.928" Alt 00003m 21:37:52Z 22.02.26 (22:37:52 CET)
Type and color of the boat: Wooden boat

UNQUOTE
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.

At 22:24 UTC MV Ocean Viking called via Sat Phone MRCC Tunis (00216 71735
669); The Officer on duty requests the position of the boat in distress and
acknowledges our intention to proceed and investigate the case, requesting
to keep MRCC Tunis informed.
MV Ocean Viking is proceeding towards the target, about 20NM away, ready to
provide first assistance. MV Ocean Viking COG 300, Speed 8.0Kts ETA 00:30
UTC 23/02/2026
MV Ocean Viking will keep you informed.

23:41 The Ocean Viking is copied on an Alarm Phone email providing an updated position regarding distress case AP0095.

23:58 The Ocean Viking is copied on an Alarm Phone email providing a further updated position regarding distress case AP0095.

February 23, 2026

01:56 The Ocean Viking establishes visual contact with distress case AP0095 approximately 0.2 NM away

01:58 The Ocean Viking contacts MRCC Tunis via satellite phone. MRCC Tunis acknowledges the distress case and requests full details following completion of the operation.

02:00 All RHIBs are launched.

At 00:56 UTC MV Ocean Viking is 0.2 NM from the subject boat and observes

what follows:

the wooden boat is unseaworthy, inapt for navigation in high seas,

overcrowded with about 90 people on board, all exposed to the elements,

heavily listed on one side and no Life Saving Appliances available.

At 00:58 UTC MV Ocean Viking called via Sat Phone MRCC Tunis (00216 71735

669); the Officer on duty acknowledges the information requesting all

details via email at the end the embarkation of the people in distress.

03:34 The Ocean Viking completes the recovery operation of distress case AP0095 and safely embarks 97 survivors on board.

Please be informed that, at 0235 UTC in position 34 57 N 012 05 E, MV Ocean
Viking completed the recovery operation of the persons in distress. 97
(number to be confirmed) shipwrecked persons have been safely brought on
board MV Ocean Viking.

The breakdown of the survivors and complete information will follow in
Maritime Incident Report.
Empty type boat, wooden boat grey color, left adrift in this position and
marked as "AP0095-23/02/2026".
As per maritime protocol MV Ocean Viking has sent SECURITE message informing
of color type of boat adrift. Message has been sent on VHF Ch. 16 at 02:30
UTC.

MV Ocean Viking is requesting a Place of Safety (as defined in the Annex to
the 1979 SAR Convention, paragraph 1.3.2 and in the IMO Resolution
MSC.167(78)) to promptly disembark all xxx survivors who are currently on
board.

07:26 The Ocean Viking receives an email from the ITMRCC assigning Livorno as Place of Safety for the 97 survivors rescued during operation AP0095.

07:41 The Ocean Viking emails the ITMRCC acknowledging Livorno as Place of Safety and requesting assignment of a nearer port due to the distance from the operational area and impact on survivors’ wellbeing.

07:59 The ITMRCC informs the Ocean Viking that reassignment of the Place of Safety cannot be considered unless required by weather, technical failure, or navigational safety concerns.

11:23 The Ocean Viking overhears a Mayday Relay transmitted by ALBATROSS UNO regarding distress case ADC018 involving a blue wooden boat with approximately 80 persons on board.

11:31 The Ocean Viking contacts the ITMRCC via satellite phone requesting acknowledgement of distress case ADC018 and informs authorities of intention to delay course toward Place of Safety in order to investigate the distress case.

11:40 The Ocean Viking is copied on an email from ALBATROSS UNO transmitting a Mayday Relay regarding distress case ADC018 involving a blue wooden boat overcrowded with approximately 80 persons on board and without life-saving equipment.

11:45 The Ocean Viking contacts MRCC Tunis via satellite phone regarding distress case ADC018. MRCC Tunis acknowledges the information and requests updates via email.

12:02 The Ocean Viking conducts bridge assessment on distress case ADC018.

12:03 All RHIBs are launched.

12:10 The Ocean Viking emails RCC Malta (with MRCC Tunis, ITMRCC, and Norwegian authorities in copy) regarding distress case ADC018 after receiving the Mayday Relay from ALBATROSS UNO.

12:34 The Ocean Viking contacts RCC Malta via satellite phone regarding distress case ADC018. No answer received.

12:35 The Ocean Viking commences rescue operation for distress case ADC018.

12:41 The Ocean Viking emails RCC Malta (with ITMRCC, MRCC Tunis, and Norwegian authorities in copy) transmitting SITREP 3 regarding distress case ADC018 and confirms that the wooden boat is overcrowded, unseaworthy, without life-saving equipment, and that persons on board request immediate rescue.

13:08 The Ocean Viking contacts RCC Malta via satellite phone regarding distress case ADC018. The operator requests transmission of all information by email.

13:13 The Ocean Viking is copied on an email from ALBATROSS UNO regarding distress case ADC019 involving approximately 30 persons on board a black rubber boat in distress.

13:30 The Ocean Viking completes the recovery operation for distress case ADC018 and safely embarks 50 survivors on board.

13:31 The Ocean Viking contacts JRCC Tripoli via satellite phone regarding distress case ADC019. No answer received.

QUOTE
I am kindly following up on my email below regarding the boat in distress (ADC019).
Please note that ALBATROSS UNO (call sign HB-LWA) has been in communication with the Italian Air Force aircraft IAM4102, also on scene.
The aircraft crew informed us that, despite having issued a Mayday Relay on behalf of the persons in distress, they are not aware of any Search and Rescue asset being tasked to the case.

We reiterate that a distress phase is ongoing, as the persons on board are exposed to grave and imminent danger of loss of life at sea and require immediate assistance.

In line with applicable international maritime and humanitarian obligations, we urgently request your office to take immediate action to initiate and coordinate Search and Rescue operations, and to ensure the prompt disembarkation of all persons to a Place of Safety.

Albatross Uno had to leave the scene to due lack of fuel.
UNQUOTE
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.

At 13:30 UTC MV Ocean Viking called via Sat Phone Tripoli JRCC (00218217173337); No Answer.

MV Ocean Viking is proceeding towards the target, about 70NM away, ready to provide first assistance. MV Ocean Viking COG 143, Speed 8.2 Kts ETA to possible interception point in Malta SRR at 19:30 UTC

Moreover, please kindly notice that ITMRCC Rome ( ITALY ) assigns to this vessel Place Of Safety Livorno and at 1320 UTC receives by sat phone call, from the duty officer green light to delay the ETA to the POS

13:58 The Ocean Viking contacts the ITMRCC via satellite phone requesting authorization to delay ETA to Place of Safety in order to investigate distress case ADC019. The authorization is granted a few minutes later.

17:51 The Ocean Viking overhears communications between AURORA and ALBATROSS UNO regarding the presence of a Libyan Coast Guard patrol vessel near distress case ADC019 and the departure of ALBATROSS UNO from scene due to fuel constraints.

18:01 The Ocean Viking contacts the ITMRCC regarding operational developments connected to ADC019/AP0098 following reports that AURORA completed the rescue operation.

18:12 The Ocean Viking resumes navigation toward Place of Safety Livorno.

February 26, 2026

10:00 The Ocean Viking arrives in Livorno and disembarks all 147 survivors on board

March 15, 2026

20:29 The Ocean Viking is copied on an Alarm Phone alert regarding distress case AP0175 involving approximately 35–38 persons on board a plastic boat in distress, including women and children.

March 16, 2026

Since 03:26 CET 16 MAR we have not been able to contact the people on this boat, The last call we had was very clear an urgent distress situation.
When we finally reached someone of the Libyan coastguard at 4:48CET 16.
MAR , they told us they would not go, because they had no available assets.

We demand an immediate search operation.
It is in your responsibility to find and safe the people.

Number of people 35-38
Phone number : 008821621001202
Departure : Zliten night of 14 March
Type of boat : plastic boat

Last known GPS position : N339666, E01376925 @03:19 CET 16 MAR

March 17, 2026

We received updated information on the situation of the people from
AP0167 and AP0166. 114 people have been on the oil platform Miskar since yesterday. 4 people remain on a small boat near to the platform Miskar.
They suffer from cold temperatures and wet clothes. Therefore their condition is severe.

March 19, 2026

15:30 The Ocean Viking is finally able to contact the Tunisian MRCC via satellite phone. The Officer on duty acknowledges without objection the intention of the vessel to proceed to the transfer of the shipwrecked people.