M.V. Phillipp Oldendorff responds to cries for assistance amidst stormy conditions south of Tenerife.
It started like any other day at sea, a regular routine of navigation and maintenance. Minutes later, the calm of M.V. Philipp Oldendorff’s voyage was shattered when Third Officer Dias Savio John Paul spotted something out of the ordinary on the horizon – a wooden boat bobbing precariously on the waves approximately 440 miles south of Tenerife. At first sight he saw 15-20 people, frantically waving their arms and signalling for help.
He sprang into action, calling Capt. Vidya Bhushan and raising the alarm. All crew were quickly readied and assigned with duties to assist in the unfolding emergency. The Master also wasted no time, contacting the Company Security Officer to update him on the critical situation, while additional assistance was also sought from Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCC) in Spain and Dakar.
With the sea growing rougher by the hour, the crew prepared to approach the boat to provide food and water – a task that became increasingly difficult but was ultimately achieved.
Due to the longer duration of the voyage and need for immediate medical assistance M.V. Philipp Oldendorff’s crew were in a dicey situation to get the survivors onboard. The same was discussed with the Tenerife MRCC and the CSO on a conference call and within moments, another vessel, M.V. Insignia, was on her way to assist at full speed. Her crew also confirmed her ability to more quickly reach a port of refuge with better medical facilities.
Upon her arrival on the scene and taking the facts into account, she approached to take control of the rescue mission, in the end, confirming a total count of 68 survivors, with the sea claiming 5 lives.
The crew onboard M.V. Philipp Oldendorff were left to reflect on a challenging and emotional experience but also one of profound humanity. They had been part of a larger effort to save lives and managed to do so with a sense of pride and professionalism.
These brave acts didn’t go unnoticed and the efforts were covered on CNN and other news channels while also being acknowledged by AMVER.
