OPERATION - 30 August-14 September 2023

00:56 Ocean Viking is in copy of an email by Alarm Phone alerting to a wooden boat in distress.

Reported distress AP1600 case is with approximately 55 persons onboard. 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.

01:29 Ocean Viking tries to reach LYJRCC by Sat Phone multiple times to no avail

At 0129 – Line busy
At 0129 – Unable to connect.
At 0220 – Line busy
At 0238 – Unable to connect.
At 0256 – Line busy

03:02 Ocean Viking is ready to provide first assistance, and emails LYJRCC to ask for their SAR action plan.

05:11 Ocean Viking received by email an updated position on the distress alert from Alarm Phone.

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.

05:18 Ocean Viking tries to reach LYJRCC by Sat Phone multiple times to no avail.

At 0518 – Line busy

At 0518 – Unable to connect

At 0547 – Line busy

At 0547 – Unable to connect

05:56 Ocean Viking emails LYJRCC to inform that Ocean Viking is proceeding towards the distress case about 13NM away, ready to provide first assistance.

07:20 Ocean Viking assess the situation.

The wooden boat is unseaworthy, inapt for navigation in high seas, overcrowded, all exposed to the elements, no Life Saving Appliances available.

07:24 Ocean Viking tries to reach LYJRCC by Sat Phone multiple times to no avail.

At 0724 – Line busy

At 0725 – Unable to connect

07:28 Ocean Viking email LYJRCC to update on the situation and to inform that Ocean Viking RHIBs are going to be launched for closer assessment and will inform of observations and actions undertaken.

07:48 Ocean Viking RHIBs assess the situation.

The wooden boat is unseaworthy, inapt for navigation in high seas, overcrowded with about 60 people on board, all exposed to the elements, no Life Saving Appliances available. These people are requiring to be rescued.

07:54 Ocean Viking emails LYJRCC to inform that 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 that Ocean Viking has the capacity to recover all of these persons without creating serious danger to the ship and the persons there on – 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 Ocean Viking will proceed to the assistance of these persons in distress, while keeping competent RCCs duly informed.

07:54 Ocean Viking tries to reach LYJRCC by Sat Phone multiple times to no avail.

At 0754 – Line busy

At 0754 – Unable to connect

08:55 Ocean Viking completed the recovery operation of 68 persons in distress.

Latitude: 33.2
Longitude: 12.26

08:58 Ocean Viking emails LYJRCC to inform the recovery operation has been completed, that complete information will be sent with Maritime Incident Report and to request a Place of Safety to promptly disembark all 68 survivors.

09:49 Ocean Viking receives an email from ITMRCC designating Ancona as the Place of Safety for the survivors on board.

11:18 Ocean Viking respond by email to acknowledge Place of Safety

ETA to Ancona Harbour: 1200 LT on Thursday 14th September 2023

11:38 Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to inform they have a visual with a potential distress case

Wooden boat observed from the Bridge lookout unable to determine if it has people onboard. After requesting to ITMRCC, Ocean Viking has green light to launch RHIBs to investigate.

11:39 Ocean Viking tries to reach via Sat Phone LYJRCC. No answer.

11:40 Ocean Viking tries to reach via Sat Phone LYJRCC. No answer.

11:55 Ocean Viking launches rescue boats and assess the situation

12:06 Ocean Viking calls via Sat Phone LYJRCC. No answer.

12:07 Ocean Viking calls via Sat Phone LYJRCC. No answer.

12:24 Ocean Viking RHIBs find an empty iron boat.

12:27 Ocean Viking calls ITMRCC to inform the above situation.

Empty iron boat, Ocean Viking is proceeding to recover RHIBs and proceed to PoS Ancona. Duty Officer reply: “Thank you for your cooperation”

12:35 All RHIBs are recovered.

12:44 Ocean Viking resume navigation towards Place of Safety, Ancona.