OPERATION - 18 July-1 August 2022

14:10 Ocean Viking departs from the port of Syracuse, Sicily.

21:20 Italian Coast Guards calls Ocean Viking to perform helicopter evacuation drill from the Ocean Viking’s Helideck.

22:05 Helicopter evacuation drill is completed.

08:39 Ocean Viking stops to perform drills at sea. All 3 Rhibs are in the water.

11:12 Rhib training is completed, all rhibs are recovered. Ocean Viking resumes navigation.

13:17 Ocean Viking stops to perform drills at sea.

17:00 Drills are completed. All Rhibs are recovered. Ocean Viking resumes navigation.

09:16 Ocean Viking stops to perform drills at sea. All Rhibs are in the water.

11:14 Rhib training are completed. Ocean Viking resumes navigation.

21:20 Ocean Viking stops to perform drills at sea.

03:00 Ocean Viking spots an emtpy blue wooden boat from the bridge.

Location : 33 27 N 014 00 E

08:20 Ocean Viking is approached by “Marine Detachment of Rahba al-Duru Bn” Rhib. No contact is established.

12:56 Ocean Viking is approached by a Libyan coastguards patrol vessel. No contact is established.

15:45 Ocean Viking spots on the AIS a Maltese helicopter circling above a location in the Libyan SRR.

Ocean Viking is 30 NM away from the helicopter’s position. She alters Course to investigate further.

17:30 Ocean Viking spots on radar a speeboat heading towards her coming from the location of the Maltese helicopter was circling.

17:40 Ocean Viking spots via binoculars a Libyan coastguard patrol vessel with survivors onboard.

08:40 Ocean Viking is in copy of an email from Alarm Phone to the relevant authorities alerting to a boat in distress. 

08:54 Ocean Viking alters her course to the last known position of the distress case.

09:20 Ocean Viking calls LYJRCC to ask updates about the case. Authorities copy the open case.

09:30 Ocean Viking informs via email the LYJRCC to inform about the open case.

09:35 Ocean Viking spots a rubber boat in the water, possibly in distress.

The boat is overcrowded at a distance of about 3NM. Ocean Viking launches RHIBs to investigate the situation.

09:41 Ocean Viking sends an email to LYJRCC informing of the situation.

09:55 Ocean Viking ascertains the presence of a distress phase with three RHIBs in the water.

The rubber boat is unseaworthy, overcrowded, with about 90 people on board, no lifejackets, all exposed to the elements and seeking for help.

distress phase: the boat and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger and require immediate assistance.

09:56 Ocean Viking contacts LYJRCC by satellite phone to report on the situation and her intention to perform the rescue. Authorities copy information and ask to report by email.

09:58 Ocean Viking informs Libyan maritime authorities about the situation by email.

10:19 Ocean Viking evacuates 87 people from a rubber boat in distress.

Among the survivors are 61 minors, including 58 unaccompanied.

Rescue position: 33 26 N 013 52 E

Latitude: 33.43333
Longitude: 13.86666

10:45 All RHIBs are recovered on board. Ocean Viking resumes navigation.

11:00 Ocean Viking sends an email to LYJRCC informing of the rescue completion.

12:50 Ocean Viking spots a rubber boat, possibly in distress, by binoculars from the bridge.

Ocean Viking is going to launch the RHIBs and investigate the case.

13:00 Ocean Viking calls Tripoli JRCC via Sat Phone. No answer.

13:02 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to update about the situation.

13:13 Ocean Viking launches three Rhibs to assess the situation and ascertaines the distress phase.

The rubber boat is unseaworthy, overcrowded, with about 100 people on board, no lifejackets, children, women, all exposed to the elements. The people on board are in danger. distress phase exists.

13:15 Ocean Viking calls Tripoli JRCC via Satellite Phone. No answer.

13:17 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to update about the situation.

13:53 Ocean Viking evacuates 108 people from a rubber boat in distress and takes the survivors on her board.

Among the survivors are women and minors, including six children under 5 years old.

Rescue position: 33 29 N 013 43

Latitude: 33.48333
Longitude: 13.71666

14:12 All RHIBs are recovered, Ocean Viking resumes navigation.

14:23 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to inform about the rescue.

Ocean Viking precises in the email that the rescue completed could match with the open distress case relayed by Alarm Phone (AP 543).

15:49 Ocean Viking is in copy of an email from Alarm Phone to the relevant authorities alerting to a boat in distress. 

16:30 Ocean Viking calls Tripoli JRCC via Satellite Phone. No answer.

16:43 Ocean Viking alters course and heads to the distress case, at about 20NM away.

17:00 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to update about the situation.

17:50 Ocean Viking spots a rubber boat, possibly in distress. Rhibs are launched to assess the situation.

18:00 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to update about the situation.

18:30 Ocean Viking ascertains the distress phase.

Situation is assessed with 3 RHIBs: the rubber boat is unseaworthy, overcrowded, with about 80 people on board, no lifejackets, children, women, all exposed to the elements. The people on board are in danger and the distress phase exists.

18:32 Ocean Viking calls Tripoli JRCC via Satellite Phone. No answer.

18:35 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to update about the situation.

18:38 Patrol Boat from Libyan Costal Security P200 arrives on scene and establishes contact with MV Ocean Viking via the Channel 16 .

18:55 Ocean Viking evacuates 73 people from a rubber boat in distress and takes the survivors on her board.

Among the survivors are 21 minors including 3 children under the age of five.

Rescue position: 33 31.5 N 013 24.3 E

Latitude: 33.525
Longitude: 13.405

19:26 All RHIBs are recovered on board. Ocean Viking resumes navigation.

19:40 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to inform about the situation.

22:30 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to report on the rescues and to request a place of safety.

09:00 Ocean Viking receives a call on Channel 16 from an unknown fishing boat not in sight about a boat in distress in the vicinity.

09:20 Ocean Viking calls Tripoli JRCC via Satellite Phone. No answer.

10:10 Ocean Viking spots a boat on the horizon, possibly in distress.

10:18 Ocean Viking calls Tripoli JRCC via Satellite Phone. An operator answers and copies all the information.

10:25 Ocean Viking launches the Rhibs to investigate the situation.

10:28 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to inform about the situation.

10:40 Ocean Viking ascertains the distress phase.

The boat is unseaworthy, overcrowded, with about 40 people on board, no
lifejackets. All exposed to the elements. The distress phase exists.

10:45 Ocean Viking calls Tripoli JRCC via Satellite Phone. Officer in charge answers, copies all the information and aks to receive the information by email.

10:48 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to update about the situation.

11:15 Ocean Viking evacuates 39 people from a fiberglass boat in distress and takes the survivors on her board.

Ocean Viking evacuates 39 people from a fiberglass boat in distress and takes the survivors on her board.

Rescue position: 33 24 N 014 41 E

Latitude: 33.4
Longitude: 14.68333

11:20 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to update about the situation.

13:05 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to report on the rescue and to request a place of safety.

14:15 Ocean Viking receives a VHF contact from aircraft ‘Osprey2’ relaying a Mayday for an embarkation in distress. Ocean Viking replies that she will proceed with all possible speed toward the distress case.

14:30 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to inform about the situation.

15:12 Ocean Viking ascertains the distress phase.

The situation is assessed with 3 RHIBs: The rubber boat is unseaworthy, overcrowded, with about 80 people on board, no lifejackets, all exposed to the elements. The people on board are in danger. The distress phase exists.

15:15 Ocean Viking calls Tripoli JRCC via Satellite Phone. No answer.

15:19 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to update about the situation.

15:49 Ocean Viking evacuates 80 people from a rubber boat in distress and takes them on her board.

Rescue position: 33 25 N 014 05 E

Latitude: 33.41666
Longitude: 15.08333

16:20 All RHIBs are recovered, Ocean Viking resumes navigation.

16:21 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to inform about the situation.

17:58 Ocean Viking sends an email to Tripoli JRCC, with MTRCC and ITMRCC in copy, to report on the rescues and to request a place of safety.

21:57 Ocean Viking escalates her request for a Place of Safety for the 387 rescued persons onboard.

After three previous requests for the designation of a place of safety to the Libyan authorities, Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC, with LYJRCC in copy, requesting assistance in the designation of a place of safety for the 387 survivors.

11:14 Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety for the 387 rescued persons onboard.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a place of safety for the 387 survivors.

22:38 Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety for the 387 rescued persons onboard.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a place of safety for the 387 survivors.

10:00 Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety for the 387 rescued persons onboard.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a place of safety for the 387 survivors.

15:47 Ocean Viking is in copy of an email from the civil aircraft “Sea bird” sent to the relevant authorities about an embarkation in distress in Maltese SRR.

15:55 Ocean Viking alters her course heading toward the distress case.

16:00 Ocean Viking calls via Satellite Phone the Malta RCC to inform about the situation. The duty officer requests to send an email.

16:40 Ocean Viking sends an email to MTRCC, with ITMRCC in copy, to inform about the situation.

19:15 Ocean Viking has a visual of an Italian Patrol vessel, about 5NM away, performing the rescue of a blue wooden boat.

Ocean Viking is in position 35 16 N 012 39 E. Given the last two known position of the distress case, according to their Course and speed, it is assumed that it is the opened distress case.

19:50 Ocean Viking calls Malta RCC to ask for further information on the distress case. Duty officer copies the information and answers that Malta RCC has not updates on the case.

20:00 Ocean Viking calls Lampedusa Radio on VHF Channel 16/84 to request information about the distress case.

Ocean Viking informs that she is still in search operation about the distress case reported by the civil aircraft “Sea Bird”. Assuming that the rescue performed by the Italian Vessel Patrol is the same case, Lampedusa Radio copies the information and replies to stand by on Ch. 16 in case there are further information.

21:05 Ocean Viking sends an email to Malta RCC, with ITMRCC in copy, to inform about the situation.

22:14 Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety for the 387 rescued persons onboard.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a place of safety for the 387 survivors.

11:06 Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety for the 387 rescued persons onboard.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a place of safety for the 387 survivors.

22:08 Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety for the 387 rescued persons onboard.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a place of safety for the 387 survivors.

10:33 Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety for the 387 rescued persons onboard.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a place of safety for the 387 survivors.

22:20 Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety for the 387 rescued persons onboard.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a place of safety for the 387 survivors.

10:13 Ocean Viking sends a request for a Place of Safety for the 387 rescued persons onboard.

Ocean Viking sends an email to ITMRCC requesting assistance in the designation of a place of safety for the 387 survivors.

20:47 Ocean Viking receives an email from ITMRCC to inform of the designation of the port of Salerno, Italy, to disembark the 387 survivors onboard.

09:25 Ocean Viking is moored in the port of Salerno, Italy.

10:03 Disembarkation of the 387 survivors starts.

14:33 Disembarkation of the 387 survivors is completed.