SITUATION RECAP
Last update 27/08/2019 at 13h30 (All times in UTC+2)
-Between the 9 and the 12 of August, Ocean Viking had completed 4 rescues and safely transferring a total of 355 survivors on the Ocean Viking
-On the 23 of August at 19h21, the transfer of all people onto a vessel of the Maltese Armed Forces is completed
-On the 27 of August at 13h30, Ocean Viking has arrived in Marseille
Ocean Viking leaves the port of Marseille and is Heading towards the South of Sardinia.
Ocean Viking is in position 41°06.3′ N, 006°21.6′ E , sailing at a speed of 9.8 knots.
RHIBs Easy 1, Easy 2 and Easy 3 are launched off starboard and port side of the ship. Bananas are deployed for practice exercices.
Ocean Viking is in position 34°26.6’N, 013°08.4 E sailing at a speed of 8 knots.
Upon entering the Libyan Search and Rescue Region, Ocean Viking sends a notice to the Libyan JRCC, informing of the vessel’s readiness to conduct SAR operations. Italian MRCC, Maltese MRCC and EUNAVFOR MED are also informed. Ocean Viking additionally provides the vessel’s technical specification.
” MV Ocean Viking declares readiness for SAR operations in the Central Mediterranean Sea, South of Lampedusa and Malta, outside of Libyan territorial waters.
Actual position: 34-12.7N 013-03.0E
Proceeding with Course 198, speed 8.3 kts towards patrol area ca. 25 NM off Libyan coast, remaining in international water at all times “
Ocean Viking receives an email from the NGO AlarmPhone, informing both ITMRCC and the MTJRCC about a distress case. Ocean Viking is CCed by Alarmphone to this email as according to them, Ocean Viking is the closest asset.
Ocean Viking contacts ITMRCC informing about potential boat in distress and LYJRCC non-response
Ocean Viking receives a second email from the NGO Alarm Phone, informing ITMRCC and MTJRCC of a possible alternative position of the boat in distress mentioned in the previous communication. Ocean Viking is in copy again.
Ocean Viking informs that LYJRCC does not respond to the call by VHF or telephone
In response to Ocean Viking email sent the 8th of August at 23h48 informing LYJRCC about rescue completion with no mention or request of place of safety, LYJRCC sends an email to Ocean Viking communicating Tripoli as a place of safety.
“Dear Sir, Referring to your last e-mail (“Rescue complete Ocean Viking” time 11:49LT) Libyan Navy Coast Guard communicate the PoS TRIPOLI. Please contact Head of Lybian Port Authority in order to go to TRIPOLI harbour as place of safety. Please, acknowledge this message. Very Respectfully”
| From: Ocean Viking To: LYJRCC Cc: ITMRCC, MTJRCC, EUNAVFORmed “Dear sirs, For your information, following the completion of the rescue earlier today on Ocean Viking, we have understood from our survivors that it is likely there was another departure from the same location in Libya 1 hour earlier, possible rubber boat with 150 pax. The exact departure point in Libya is still not clear. We are continuing to keep a sharp lookout for this second boat and will inform the authorities of any sightings. We are Patrolling and can be contacted via VHF, sat phone, or e-mail.” |
Ocean Viking informs LYJRCC by email, with ITMRCC, MTJRCC and EUNAVFOR MED in CC, that it cannot proceed to disembarkation in Tripoli due to Libyan ports not conforming to the definition of places of safety.
Dear Sir, We acknowledge receipt of your request to proceed to Libya to disembark the 85 survivors of the SAR Case of Ocean Viking on the 9th of August. As you know, under the International Convention on maritime search and rescue to which Libya is a state party, a rescue is only considered as completed once rescued people have been disembarked in a place of safety (As define in the Annex to the 1979 SAR Convention, paragraph 1.3.2 and in the International Maritime Organization 2004 Rescue Guidelines). It is within this framework that the European Commission and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees issued clear positions stating that currently Libya does not meet the criteria for being designated as a place of safety for the purpose of disembarkation following rescue at sea (https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b8d02314.html. I understand that among the survivors on board there are people, including women, children and unaccompanied minors, who say that if returned to Libya, they would be in danger of being subjected to severe abuses. In light of this clear guidance and international law Provisions, we are not in a position to head towards a Libyan port which cannot be considered as a place of safety for rescued people. I respectfully request that as the JRCC coordinating, that you please provide with the indication of a place of safety, which fulfils all requirements under all applicable international laws, where the survivors can be safely and promptly disembarked. Please acknowledge receipt of this message”
Ocean Viking sends email to LYJRCC, copying ITMRCC and MTJRCC and EUNAVFOR MED informing about a distress case requiring immediate assistance.
Distribution of life jackets is ongoing.
Ocean Viking sends email to LYJRCC, copying ITMRCC, MTJRCC and EUNAVFOR MED informing about rescue completion and another potential Target approximate position 33°35’N, 014°15’E. Ocean Viking informs about her new Course toward this position.
Ocean viking is in position 33°28.8’N 014°14.4’E sailing at a speed of 3 knots.
Ocean Viking has a first visual contact when at position 33°27.05’N, 013°53.14’E
Ocean Viking launches 2 RHIBs at sea to proceed to assessment of the boat in distress and potential rescue, at position 33°27.5’N, 013°51.5’E.
Ocean Viking sends email to LYJRCC, copying ITMRCC, MTJRCC and EUNAVFOR MED informing about a distress case requiring immediate assistance.
Distribution of life jackets is ongoing.
Ocean Viking sends email to LYJRCC, copying ITMRCC and MTJRCC and EUNAVFOR MED informing about the rescue ongoing.
” Dear Sir,
Your correspondence below is well acknowledged.
Thank you for considering the possibility of Ocean Viking entering Italian territorial waters without authorization but be informed that this vessel has not altered her Course towards Italy, that no request has been made to enter Italian territorial waters and that it is not my intention to do so without cause, instruction or proper authorization.
As you rightly mention, this vessel conducted a rescue of 85 people in distress on the morning of the 9th August 2019. Further rescues have since been completed, on 10th and 11th August, with 85 and 81 people in distress rescued respectively. The total number of rescued people now onboard the Ocean Viking is 251. All rescues took place in International waters, in the SAR zone of Libya, in the strictest adherence to the UNCLOS, SOLAS and SAR conventions.
This vessel has already requested the relevant maritime authorities to designate a place of safety, that fulfils the criteria set by Maritime and International Law.
I thanks you in advance for your kind collaboration and assistance in this process.
Yours sincerely”
ITMRCC says they will investigate and call back if assistance is needed
ITCG are informed about the boat in distress that is currently in the maltese SRR. ITCG says they are going to inform RCC Malta about the distress case.
Ocean Viking requests place of safety to ITMRCC and RCC Malta
“Dear Sir,
As communicated earlier, Ocean Viking conducted a rescue of 85 people in distress on the morning of the 9th August 2019. Further rescues have been completed, on 10th and 11th August, with 85 and 81 people in distress rescued respectively. The total number of rescued people now onboard the Ocean Viking is 251, including 74 minors and 4 women. All rescues took place in international waters, in the SAR zone of Libya, in the strictest adherence to the UNCLOS, SOLAS and SAR conventions. On the 9th August at 12:38, JRCC Tripoli communicates Tripoli as a Place of Safety for the first SAR case and disembarkation of 85 survivors. Ocean Viking responded on the 10th August 00:11 that Libyan ports cannot be considered as a place of safety and requested an alternative PoS to disembark survivors onboard. No response has been received so far. Ocean Viking reiterated a request of place of safety following the 2nd and the 3RD rescue allowing to disembark safely the 251 survivors onboard the vessel on the 9th and 10th August. No response has been received as of today 11th August 11am. In accordance with international maritime conventions and regulations, (IMO Resolution MSC.167 (78): “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”), we are now formally requesting Maltese and Italian maritime authorities, as the RCCs most able to assist, to take coordination and support finding a place of safety that fulfils the criteria set by Maritime and International Law to disembark safely the 251 survivors on board the vessel. I thanks you in advance for your kind collaboration and assistance. Please acknowledge receipt of this message. Thanks and Regards “
Ocean Viking is Heading towards a potential boat in distress in the Maltese SRR. Ocean Viking has a visual contact with another rubber boat potentially in distress at position 33°26.6’N 013°51.5’E
Ocean Viking informs ITCG about a rubber boat in distress at position 33°27’N 013°50’E. Ocean Viking requests support from ITCG to contact LYJRCC.
Ocean Viking sends email to LYJRCC, copying ITMRCC and MTJRCC and EUNAVFOR MED informing about a distress case requiring immediate assistance
Distribution of lifejackets ongoing
Ocean Viking sends email to LYJRCC, copying ITMRCC and MTJRCC and EUNAVFOR MED
3 additional life rafts in the water to recover people in and stabilise the situation during the rescue operation
Ocean Viking at position 33°32’N 013°48’E
MTJRCC replies to a place of safety request addressed to the ITMRCC and MTJRCC considering MTJRCC is not the competent authority to assign a place of safety to Ocean Viking.
ITCG says that the case is in the Maltese SRR and suggests to call the Maltese authorities.
Ocean Viking also informs RCC Malta that Ocean Viking is Heading towards the position of the potential boat in distress and has a medical team on board
Ocean Viking sends email to LYJRCC, copying ITMRCC, MTJRCC and EUNAVFOR MED
EU patrol aircraft informs that a Maltese helicopter is taking care of the rubber boat in distres in the Maltese SRR
Ocean Viking receives information from survivors onboard the vessel, rescued today, about another possible rubber boat that might have left Libya shore on Sunday night. Ocean Viking is Heading towards the area to investigate
Ocean Viking will recover the dead body if possible but the vessel is restarting search for possible rubber boat in distress to the East of the current location. Ocean Viking currently at 60 NM from the reported casualty.
Ocean Viking sends email to LYJRCC, copying ITMRCC, MTJRCC and EUNAVFOR MED
Ocean Viking is looking for the potential second rubber boat that left Libya 2 days ago, while requesting a port of safety.
| In response to Ocean Viking email sent the 12 of August at 19h35 informing LYJRCC about rescue completion and requesting a place of safety, LYJRCC sends an email to Ocean Viking communicating Tripoli as a place of safety. “Dear Sir, Referring to your last e-mail (“Rescue complete Ocean Viking” time 19:35LT) Libyan Navy Coast Guard communicate the PoS TRIPOLI. Please contact Head of Lybian Port Authority in order to go to TRIPOLI harbour as place of safety. Please, acknowledge this message. Very Respectfully” |
| Ocean Viking informs LYJRCC by email, with ITMRCC, MTJRCC, EUNAVFOR MED and Norwegian maritime authorities in CC, that it cannot proceed to disembarkation in Tripoli due to Libyan ports not conforming to the definition of places of safety. Dear Sir, “We acknowledge receipt of your request to proceed to Libya to disembark the 356 survivors from the 4 SAR Cases of Ocean Viking on the 9.10.11 and 12 of August. As you know, under the International Convention on maritime search and rescue to which Libya is a state party, a rescue is only considered as completed once rescued people have been disembarked in a place of safety (As define in the Annex to the 1979 SAR Convention, paragraph 1.3.2 and in the International Maritime Organization 2004 Rescue Guidelines). It is within this framework that the European Commission and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees issued clear positions stating that currently Libya does not meet the criteria for being designated as a place of safety for the purpose of disembarkation following rescue at sea (https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b8d02314.html. I understand that among the survivors on board there are people, including women, children and unaccompanied minors, who say that if returned to Libya, they would be in danger of being subjected to severe abuses. In light of this clear guidance and international law Provisions, we are not in a position to head towards a Libyan port which cannot be considered as a place of safety for rescued people. I respectfully request that as the JRCC coordinating, that you please provide with the indication of a Place of Safety, which fulfils all requirements under all applicable international laws, where the survivors can be safely and promptly disembarked. Please acknowledge receipt of this message” |
The person on the phone says they are 50 persons including 3 children in a rubber boat at sea. The incomplete position shared by telephone is roughly 100 NM away from our position
Ocean Viking sends email to LYJRCC, copying ITMRCC, MTJRCC and EUNAVFOR MED to inform about the potential distress case and to request further instruction from authorities
EUNAVFOR MED informs Ocean Viking about today LCG interceptions in the area of interest. EUNAVFOR MED also informs Ocean Viking that EU patrol aircrafts did not spot any rubber boat in this area after the interceptions operated by LCG during the day
| Ocean Viking requests a place of safety to ITMRCC and RCC Malta |
| “Dear Sir, As communicated earlier, Ocean Viking conducted 4 rescues of a total of 356 people in distress on the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th August. Please refer to OV MIR reports previously shared for more details. All rescues took place in International waters, in the Libyan SRR, in the strictest adherence to the UNCLOS, SOLAS and SAR conventions. On the 9th and 12th August, JRCC Tripoli communicated Tripoli as a Place of Safety for the disembarkation of 356 survivors. Ocean Viking responded on the 10th and 12th August that Libyan ports cannot be considered as a place of safety and requested an alternative PoS to disembark survivors onboard. No response has been received so far. Ocean Viking reiterated a request of place of safety following the 4 rescues allowing to disembark safely the 356 survivors onboard the vessel on the 9th, 10th , 11th and 12th August. No response has been received as of today 15th August 16h47. According to international maritime conventions and regulations (IMO Resolution MSC.167 (78): 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), we are now formally requesting Maltese and Italian maritime authorities, as the RCCs most able to assist, to take coordination and support finding a place of safety that fulfils the criteria set by Maritime and International Law to disembark safely and as soon as possible the 356 survivors, including 103 minors, on board the vessel. We specifically request assistance to ITMRCC and RCC Malta, as according to the locations of the rescues involving our vessel, they are the next two closest RCCs listed on the IMO database. There are some people who have been at sea for over a week. Due to the poor weather conditions, the majority of survivors are suffering from seasickness. The situation on-board remains stable for the time being, with our medical team treating people for various conditions to try and ease their suffering. We hope that a quick solution can be found as soon as possible. I thank you in advance for your collaboration and assistance. Please acknowledge receipt of this message.” |
Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC and MTJRCC, copying LYJRCC and EUNAVFOR MED, to inform about the possibility of a medical evacuation request in the future
