Crew Reviews, Ratings & Info for Ocean-Viking

**Title: NGO Ship 'Ocean Viking' Successfully Rescues 116 Migrants from Gas Platform** The humanitarian ship 'Ocean Viking', operated by the French nonprofit SOS Méditerranée, docked in Palermo on March 23 after a critical rescue operation in the Mediterranean Sea. This valiant mission saw the recovery of 116 migrants who had sought refuge on a gas platform near the shores of Tunisia. The migrants had been stranded following the failure of two overcrowded boats attempting to reach Lampedusa, both of which were in dire condition. Among those rescued were 39 unaccompanied minors, one child, and two infants under the age of one. The majority of these individuals hailed from war-torn regions, with many coming from Sudan, Somalia, and Nigeria. After spending four nights exposed to the elements on the gas platform—where they had to sleep almost entirely outdoors—the survivors were found in extremely weakened states. The conditions during the rescue were far from ideal, as a powerful storm had battered the area, resulting in towering waves of nearly five meters and fierce winds. Despite the residual swell that challenged the approach, the brave crew of the 'Ocean Viking' persevered. Thanks to the assistance from the personnel on the gas platform, the operation was carried out with precision, allowing the survivors to safely navigate a ladder from the platform onto the ship. This rescue not only highlights the ongoing plight of migrants in the Mediterranean but also underscores the vital role of NGO vessels in providing life-saving support amid treacherous maritime conditions.

The 'Ocean Viking' will be able to resume its rescue operations, after the bridge, which was partially destroyed in the attack of the so-called Libyan Coastguard on Aug 24, has been repaired, and the systems and equipment have been restored to working order in Siracuse. The work cost over €130,000. Safety training for personnel has been reinforced, and operational procedures have been updated. Following this work, the 'Ocean Viking' was preparing to return to sea. Several months after the attack, those responsible have not been identified. The Marseille-based NGO SOS Méditerranée remained determined to establish responsibility and ensure that the perpetrators of this attack are held accountable. Criminal complaints have been filed in Italy and France, and proceedings are being finalised in Germany.

SOS Méditerranée has filed a complaint in France following the attack on the 'Ocean Viking' on Aug 24 by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard. At the time of the attack, which caused no injuries, the ship had 87 people, who had been rescued the previous night, and 34 crew members on board. SOS Méditerranée and seven French crew members of the ship, have filed a complaint in Marseille on Oct 7 for "attempted murder" and "criminal conspiracy". Marie Geoffroy, lawyer for the seven French crew members, stated that the ship was "the target of an extremely violent attack carried out by the Libyan coastguard in international waters, More than 100 bullets were fired at the ship and the people on board. The filing of a complaint against unknown persons is necessary to shed light on the circumstances of this exceptionally serious attack and to reveal the criminal responsibilities of those who, by providing material resources to the Libyan coastguard, made it possible,"

The Norwegain Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a diplomatic note to Libya describing the attack on the 'Ocean Viking' in the Mediterranean as unacceptable and demanded that the Libyan authorities investigate the incident when the 'Ocean Viking' was fired upon by the so-called Libyan Coastguard in international waters on Aug 24 and asked to introduce measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again. The serious incident that the vessel, crew and others on board at risk, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated. A total of 120 people, nine crew members and 111 survivors from previous rescue operations, were on board the ship when it was fired upon. SOS Méditerranée, which operates the ship together with the Red Cross, stated that hundreds of shots were fired. No one was injured, and the ship suffered minor damage. The ship had only rescued 47 migrants, including nine minors, off Libya, on Aug 23. Many of them were fleeing the war in Sudan.

The 'Ocean Viking' after disembarking 87 migrants in Augusta on Aug 25, has remained anchored in pos. 37° 14' N 015° 12' E off the port as of Sep 1, on the instructions of the authorities, with 34 people, including 25 SOS Mediterranée and Red Cross staff and nine ship's crew members on board, who have been unable to disembark or receive the necessary assistance. During the disembarkation, an unaccompanied minorwas isolated by USMAF, the Italian health authorities responsible for sanitary checks upon arrival) and tested for tuberculosis (TB). The result was positive. The case had previously been identified by the onboard medical team. Isolation procedures were immediately initiated in accordance with the medical protocols. The patient has also been referred to the Italian health authorities for further medical treatment. As a result, Italian health authorities denied the 'Ocean Viking' "Free Practice" – a declaration that the ship is free of infectious diseases and a prerequisite for permitting the crew to disembark. The other rescued were taken to a temporary camp in the port of Augusta, where they will likely remain until the end of their quarantine period. Colleagues from the EUAA (European Asylum Agency) and the IRC (International Rescue Committee) were on site to provide support and exchange information. On Aug 27 at 11:45 a.m., Italian health personnel boarded the 'Ocean Viking' to administer the Mantoux test (tuberculin skin test) to all crew members. The results of the Mantoux test take 48 to 72 hours and was expected between Aug 29 and Aug 30. Individuals vaccinated with the BCG vaccine may test positive. USMAF has informed us that these individuals will undergo chest x-rays to rule out active infection.The lengthy procedure remained unclear and were not consistent with international medical standards for TB prevention and treatment. The infected was immediately isolated on board by the crew, contacts were minimized, and personal protective equipment was used throughout before being transferred to USMAF as planned. The Mantoux tests were performed less than 96 hours after initial exposure—a period during which infection is not yet detectable. International guidelines, such as the EU Standards for Tuberculosis Care (ESTC), indicated that skin tests immediately after exposure are medically meaningless, as the immune response only becomes detectable weeks later. Furthermore, the test was applied universally rather than based on actual risk: scientific evidence and guidelines from the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the ECDC demonstrate that relevant transmission requires prolonged, unprotected exposure – which was not the case in this case. According to WHO guidelines, isolation or quarantine is only justified for persons with active infectious tuberculosis or genuine high-risk contacts and must always be the least restrictive measure. The current detention therefore lacks both medical justification and an ethical basis. The crew and personnel were managing this situation in addition to the ongoing trauma following the attack by the Libyan Coast Guard. Their rapid disembarkation was described as essential to provide them with access to psychological support and ensure their transfer to an environment unrelated to the recent traumatic event.

Shots fired at head height, minutes of shelling, this is how sea rescuer Lucille Guenier described the so-called Libyan Coastguard's attack on the "Ocean Viking" in Augusta on Aug 27: "With this attack, the violence in the Mediterranean has reached unprecedented levels. Their intention was to kill people", according to communications officer on board. She was calling on the EU to immediately end its cooperation with the so-called Libyan Coastguard. Luise Amtsbergm Green Party member of the German Bundestag, also called for consequences. The survivors had disembarked the rescue ship in Augusta on the evening of Aug 25. No one was injured. The ship remained stationary in port as of Aug 28.

The EU has intervened in response to the Libyan attack on the 'Ocean Viking' and has contacted the relevant Libyan authorities regarding the incident to clarify the facts. It was now up to the relevant Libyan authorities to urgently shed light on what happened, said Markus Lammert, EU spokesperson for Home Affairs and Migration, on 'Aug 26, after the aid organization SOS Méditerranée jsf reported the shooting at the "Ocean Viking§ and also published photos of shell casings and shattered portholes. At the time of the incident, the "Ocean Viking" was carrying 87 rescued people – including nine unaccompanied minors – who had recently been brought to safety from a rubber dinghy off the Libyan coast. The "Ocean Viking" arrived with the migrants in the Sicilian port of Augusta on Aug 25 and remained stationary in port on Aug 27.

On Aug 24, the 'Ocean Viking' was attacked by the so-called Libyan Coastguard in international waters. Hundreds of shots were fired at the ship with 111 rescued people on board, according to SOS Méditerranée, the ship's operator, which also published photos of shell casings and shattered portholes. There were 120 people on board when the Coastguard opened fire. The ship had been asked by the Italian authorities to assist in a new rescue operation. As it approached, a Libyan patrol boat came and opened fire. The shooting lasted for over five minutes. The incident has been confirmed by the Norwegian Central Rescue Service. On board were nine crew members and 111 survivors from previous rescue operations. No one was injured, and the ship suffered minor damage. The ship had rescued 47 migrants, including nine minors, in a recent operation off Libya on the night of Aug 23. Many of them had been fleeing the war in Sudan. Among them were nine unaccompanied minors. The migrants had been taken to safety from a rubber dinghy off the Libyan coast. The 'Ocean Viking' got designated the port of Marina di Carrara as destination. SOS Méditerranée criticized the great distance of the assigned port – around 1,300 kilometers from the rescue site – which meant a transit time of 3,5 days. Report with photos: https://x.com/SOSMedIntl/status/1959678039627034838

The NGO ship "Solidaire" docked in the port of Ravenna on June 14, with 76 migrants on board, who had been rescued in the Mediterranean before. The "Ocean Viking," operated by the aid organization Sos Mediterranée, has rescued 70 people, who arrived at the port of Marina di Carrara on June 16. The NGO ship "Sea Watch 5" has rescued 53 people in the Mediterranean. The Italian authorities assigned the ship the port of Pozzallo.

The 'Ocean Viking', chartered by SOS Méditerranée, rescued 273 migrants on the morning of May 17 off the Tunisian and Maltese coasts, among them seven children, during three rescue operations from three boats in distress. The migrants, who were suffering from exhaustion and seasickness, received medical care from the NGO's teams. On the early morning, the 'Ocean Viking' received an AlarmPhone alert reporting an overloaded wooden boat in the Tunisian SAR zone. 65 people were recovered, and shortly after, following a new Alarmphone alert, the 'Ocean Viking' reached a second boat in distress. The SAR boat 'Aurora' of Sea Watch was already on site and conducted an initial assessment of ther 77 people, including two children, on board. All were brought to safety aboard the 'Ocean Viking'. Later, the crew spotted another wooden boat in distress in the Maltese SAR zone, from which 131 people, including a baby and four children, were rescued.

On May 8, the 'Sea-Watch 5' rescued 190 people from two boats in distress in the Mediterranean Sea- The ship was directed to Civitavecchia, which has been assigned to us as a safe port. Four days earlier, the team on the 'Aurora', which belongs to the same NGO, had already rescued 71 migrants during the night of May 3-4. On May 1, the 'Sea-Watch 5' had already assisted 109 people and disembarked them on May 3. tjem returning to the rescue zone. That day, 104 migrants, including 41 minors, were initially rescued from a boat. Five more people were then picked up directly from the water while the humanitarian vessel searched for another boat in distress. Teams aboard the 'Ocean Viking' pulled 108 people from the water on the morning of May 5. The crew had spotted two overloaded boats in distress in the Libyan search and rescue zone. An 11-month-old baby was among the survivors. Many were suffering from exhaustion and seasickness, requiring urgent medical attention. The ship got assigned Ortona, located 1,296 km from the rescue zone, as safe port. Report with photos: https://www.infomigrants.net/fr/post/64459/mer-mediterranee--190-migrants-secourus-par-le-navire-humanitaire-seawatch-5