OPERATION – 13-19 December 2023

Ocean viking in position 33 34.4740(N) 012 14.8500 (E),

Ocean Viking swiftly alters Course Heading towards the Target, about 1NM away, for further assessment and ready to provide first assistance.

The fiberglass boat is unseaworthy, inapt for navigation in high seas, overcrowded with 27 people on board, including children, all exposed to the elements, no Life Saving Appliances available.
These people are requiring to be rescued.
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.
Relevant shipboard safety and environmental elements have been assessed and it is ascertained MV Ocean Viking has the capacity to recover all 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 – nor to the environment.
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, therefore MV Ocean Viking will proceed to the assistance of these persons in distress, while keeping competent RCCs duly informed.

Ocean Viking position 33 34,1 N 012 15,6 E,

(as defined in the Annex to the 1979 SAR Convention, paragraph 1.3.2 and in the IMO Resolution MSC.167(78))

Ocean Viking informs that the white fiberglass boat left the scene full speed with one person on board and no explanation at the conclusion of the recovery operation. The second fiberglass boat previously spotted from the Bridge and mentioned in the first email, also left the scene full speed, without possibility to making a further assessment.