OPERATION - 9 - 21 - May 2025

18:15 Ocean Viking departs from Ortona.

08:10 Ocean VIking docks in Syracuse.

21:20 Ocean Viking departs from Syracuse.

15:07 Ocean Viking spots empty wooden boat.

00:36 Ocean Viking receives an email from Alarm Phone (in cc) about a boat in distress.

AP0516

01:24 Ocean Viking calls MRCC Tunisia to inform about the intention to search for the distress case.

AP0516

01:35 Ocean Viking emails MRCC Tunisia to confirm previous conversation via SAT Phone.

AP0516

02:01 Ocean Viking receives an email from Alarm Phone with an updated position of the distress case.

AP0516

02:38 Ocean Viking receives an email from Alarm Phone with an updated position of the distress case.

AP0516

02:52 Ocean Viking receives an email from Alarm Phone (in cc) about a boat in distress.

AP0519

03:14 Ocean Viking receives an email from Alarm Phone with an updated position of the distress case.

AP0519

03:15 Ocean Viking receives an email from Alarm Phone with an updated position of the distress case.

AP0516

03:48 Ocean Viking receives an email from Alarm Phone with an updated position of the distress case.

AP0519

03:57 Ocean Viking sport distress case.

AP0516

04:00 Ocean Viking calls MRCC Tunisia. No answer.

04:02 Ocean Viking calls MRCC Tunisia. No answer.

04:06 Ocean Viking launches RHIBs.

04:12 Ocean Viking emails MRCC Tunisia to inform about the situation.

04:13 Ocean Viking receives assessment of the boat in distress from the RHIBs.

Assessment states the following: Blue medium wooden boat, 60 people on board, no man over board, crowd is calm, freeboard high, transom clear, righting fast, intense fuel smell, including 2 children, 20 people below deck. No medical cases

AP0516

04:24 Ocean Viking calls MRCC Tunisia. No answer.

04:30 Ocean Viking emails MRCC Tunisia to inform about the situation.

AP0516

04:42 Ocean Viking calls MRCC Tunisia. No answer.

04:45 Ocean Viking completes the rescue operation of 68 persons in distress.

AP0516

Latitude: 34.7833333
Longitude: 11.966666666666667

05:00 Ocean Viking emails MRCC Tunisia to inform about the rescue.

AP0516

05:07 Ocean Viking communicates with Aurora via VHF to coordinate the search and rescue for the distress case.

AP0519

05:10 Ocean Viking receives the first assessment of the distress case from Auroras RHIB.

The assessment states the following: overcrowded double deck wooden boat with 77 people on board, people below deck, slow righting moment, transom at risk.

AP0519

05:20 Ocean Viking emails the relevant authorities to inform about the distress case shared by Aurora and Ocean Vikings intention to render assistance.

AP0519

05:28 Ocean Viking launches RHIBs.

05:30 Ocean Viking calls MRCC Tunisia. No answer.

05:45 Ocean Viking emails the relevant authorities to inform about the first assessment by Aurora.

AP0519

05:51 Ocean Vikings RHIBs arrive at the distress case and share the assessment.

The assessment: people are asking to be rescued, the boat is unseaworthy and unlikely to reach destination, inapt for navigation at sea, lacking water, food and fuel to arrive, no life saving equipment available and no adequate crew or command present. The boat is listing to portside and there are women and babies on board.
AP0519

06:03 Ocean Viking calls MRCC Tunisia. No answer.

06:20 Ocean Viking completes the rescue operation of 77 persons in distress.

AP0519

Latitude: 34.7
Longitude: 12.083333333333334

06:25 Ocean Viking emails the relevant authorities to inform about the rescue and requests a place of safety.

AP0519

06:39 Ocean Viking calls MRCC Malta to inform about the rescue operation. No answer.

AP0519

06:50 Ocean Viking emails MRCC Malta to inform about the rescue operation.

AP0519

07:31 Ocean Viking spots a potential boat in distress from the bridge.

SAR case OV170525

07:48 Ocean Viking confirms potential boat in distress is an overcrowded wooden boat.

SAR case OV170525

07:53 Ocean Viking calls MRCC Malta to inform about the boat in distress. MRCC Malta requests information via email.

SAR case OV170525

07:55 Ocean Viking emails MRCC Malta to inform about the boat in distress.

SAR case OV170525

08:05 Ocean Viking emails MRCC Malta to give an update about the boat in distress.

Dear Sirs, Madams,
At 06:00 UTC Ocean Viking is 1.5 NM from the subject boat and observes what follows:
the wooden boat is unseaworthy, inapt for navigation in high seas, overcrowded with approximately 60 people on board, all exposed to the elements, no Life Saving Appliances available.
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.
Ocean Viking RHIBs are going to be launched for closer assessment. Your RCC will be kept informed of observations and actions undertaken.
Please acknowledge receipt of this message.

SAR case OV170525

08:11 Ocean Vikings RHIBs arrive at the distress case and share the assessment.

The assessment: people are asking to be rescued, not enough water and food to complete navigation, babies and children all exposed to elements, no adequate crew or command, unseaworthy boat inapt for this type of journey.

SAR case OV170525

08:15 Ocean Viking emails MRCC Malta to inform about the first assessment.

SAR case OV170525

09:09 Ocean Viking calls MRCC Malta. No answer.

09:10 Ocean Viking completes the rescue operation of 131 persons in distress.

SAR case OV170525

Latitude: 34.5833333
Longitude: 12.166666388888888

09:15 Ocean Viking emails MRCC Malta to inform about the rescue operation.

SAR case OV170525

09:35 Ocean Viking receives email from ITMRCC assigning Ancona as place of safety.

08:35 Ocean Viking arrives in Ancona.

09:14 Disembarkation of the 276 survivors starts.

11:20 Disembarkation is complete.