OPERATION - 24 - 31 January 2025

Summary of the Operation:

24. January – Ocean Viking departs from Syracuse.
27. January – 22 shipwrecked persons rescued.
27. January – 92 shipwrecked persons rescued.
28. January – Medical evacuation of one person, her mother and her sister. The father remains onboard the Ocean Viking.
31. January – Disembarkation in Ancona.

January 24, 2025

20:00 Ocean Viking departs from Genova.

January 27, 2025

Distress number: AP0095

Distress case: AP0097

Distress number: AP0095

14:32 Ocean Viking overhears a Mayday Relay via VHF from aircraft Sparow 1.

The email states the following:
the distress boat is unseaworthy, adrift, inapt for navigation in high seas, overcrowded with about 20 people on board, all exposed to the elements, no Life Saving Appliances available.
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.
This is a case of force majeure (ref.SOLAS Art. IV (b)) imposing to retrieve persons in danger of being lost at sea, as stipulated by the relevant International Maritime Conventions, therefore Ocean Viking will proceed to the assistance of these persons in distress, while keeping competent RCCs duly informed.
Ocean Viking has no information on any other vessels in the area which are capable/available to promptly
recover these persons in distress and deliver them to a Place of Safety.

Distress number: AP0095

Latitude: 35.3352778
Longitude: 13.18388888888889

Distress number: AP0095

15:10 Ocean Viking overhears a Mayday Relay via VHF from aircraft Sparow 1 with an update of the position of the boat in distress.

15:15 Ocean Viking recovers all RHIBs.

The email states the following:
Ocean Viking informs via email, MRCC Malta (ITMRCC in copy) as follows:
Ocean Viking overheard on VHF CH 16 a mayday relay from aircraft Sparow1 stating: boat in
distress in pos 34 34, 48N 012 51.22E, 50 people on board, rigid hull”
Ocean Viking overheard again on VHF CH16 an updated mayday relay from aircraft Sparow1
with an updated position of the boat in distress: 50 people on board, rigid hull, speed 2
to 3 kts”

There is a possibility that AP case 97 can match with the mayday relay.
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.
Ocean Viking is proceeding towards the target, about 48NM away, ready to provide first assistance.
Ocean Viking will keep you informed.
Please acknowledge receipt of this message and inform of your SAR action plan.

Ocean Viking note: MAYDAY RELAY SPAROW1 (AP0097)

Distress case: AP0099

Distress case: AP0097

15:54 Ocean Viking receives an email from the Italian Ministry of Interior, assigning Ancona as place of safety.

15:59 Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC asking if the duty officer has received the email about the mayday relay from Sparow1. The duty officer asks Ocean Viking to call MRCC Malta as they are the competent authority.

16:05 Ocean Viking calls RCC Malta, the duty officer is busy.

16:06 Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to inform that RCC Malta did not respond to the phone call. ITMRCC duty officer agreed on the delay of POS Ancona arrival to proceed to investigate the distress.

Distress case: AP0097

Distress case: SP0097

The email states the following:
please be informed that our tender team finished the distribution of LJs for the people on the upper deck. Our team distributed 80 LJs. According to the people there are around 50 people on the lower deck, which would raise the number of people in distress to 130 people.
Also a second boat appeared now on scene. Making way towards Sea Punk 1.
We urgently ask you for support.

Distress case: AP0097 & AP0099

The email states the following:
Please be informed that the Sea Punk 1 started shuttling people from the first case (gray double deck) as the waves, wind and the upcoming darkness makes it impossible to keep the situation under control otherwise.
We also hand out lights to the people on the second boat and the people on our floating device to make sure we don't loose them, as all the boats are drifting in different directions.

Distress case: AP0097 & AP0099

The email states the following:
This vessel is in copy of the emails sent from Sea Punk1 to the competent authorities stating that
currently there are 2 boats in distress on scene with a total number of people around 200.
Ocean Viking is going to launch her 3 rhibs to be able to assist as soon as possible.
Ocean Viking will keep you informed.
Please acknowledge receipt of this message and inform of your SAR action plan.

20:25 Ocean Viking is in copy of an email sent from Sea Punk 1 to MRCC Malta (ITMRCC in cc) informing about the completion of the embarcation of 56 people onboard the Sea Punk 1.

The email states the following:
Sea Punk 1 is already on scene, stabilizing people in distress.
There are 2 boats in distress:
- Grey fiberglass boat with about 40 people, all with Lifejackets
- Grey double deck boat with about 100 people still onboard
The second boat appears in more critical condition and two of the Ocean Viking rhibs are starting to offload the people, while the third Ocean Viking rhibs stays close to the smaller target that will be offloaded later.
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.
This is a case of force majeure (ref. SOLAS Art. IV (b)) 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.

Distress case: grey double deck AP0097 & fiberglass AP0099

Latitude: 34.6005556
Longitude: 12.884444444444444

The email states the following:
Please be informed that Ocean Viking completed the recovery operation of the persons in distress from two different cases.
The shipwrecked persons have been safely brought on board Ocean Viking.
1. Empty Fiberglass boat, grey color, left adrift in this position and marked as “AP97 – 270125”.
2. Empty wooden double deck boat, blue color, left adrift in this position.
We currently have a medical emergency on board and more information will be sent soon after a proper assessment.
Ocean Viking is recovering the rhibs and then will resume the course towards the Place of Safety of Ancona, as previously assigned, to promptly disembark all survivors who are currently on board.

22:04 Ocean Viking emails MRCC Malta, ITMRCC and CIRM Telesoccorso to request a MEDEVAC

January 28, 2025

Latitude: 34.8511111
Longitude: 12.901944444444444

00:47 Ocean Viking sends an email to MRCC Malta, ITMRCC and CIRM Telesoccorso to inform about medical evacuation.

00:58 Ocean Viking receives an email from ITMRCC, requesting the number of evacuated people.

01:05 Ocean Viking emails ITMRCC to infrom that 3 people were evacuated: the mother, the casualty and the other daughter, 6yo. The father is still onboard Ocean Viking.

January 31, 2025

15:20 Ocean Viking docks in Ancona.

15:40 Disembarkation of the 111 survivors starts.

17:04 Disembarkation is complete.