What is Ocean Viking?

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What is Ocean Viking?
Thanks for asking.
The Ocean Viking humanitarian vessel now has well over 500 survivors on board, and it's located in waters between Italy, Malta and Libya. It has carried out a number of rescue operations in the last week. According to NGO SOS Mediterranean, who operate Ocean Viking, survivors on board are mainly refugees and migrants. Many are miners, some of whom were attempting the treacherous crossing unaccompanied. Yet governments so far seem in no hurry to come to their aid.
When was Ocean Viking first used as a rescue ship?
Back in 2019, it was chartered by SOS Mediterranean as part of a partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières. The project was supported by Norwegian authorities, who allowed the ship to sail under their country's flag. That's where the allusion to Vikings comes from, of course. In reality, while it operates as a humanitarian ship these days, Ocean Viking was built as a cargo ship back in 1986 It was originally used as a support vessel for workers on oil rigs in the North Sea. Ocean Viking's daily running costs come to 14,000 euros. On board the ship, you can find equipment, of course, as well as medical staff and a search team on the lookout for distress calls. As soon as it receives a signal that Ocean Viking begins a race against time to rescue migrants on their rubber dinghies, overloaded wooden boats and other makeshift crafts.
It sounds like a sadly familiar story. Have there been other similar rescue operations? Absolutely. SOS Mediterranean and MSF had previously joined forces operating the Aquarius between 2016 and 2018 It's estimated the rescue boats helped save close to 30,000 people in Mediterranean waters. But it eventually fell victim to political pressure, with certain governments putting a spanner in the works. Among others, Italy put pressure on Panama to revoke its registration. In case you weren't aware, for a boat to sail, it has to fly a country's flag. Without that, it's not allowed to sail in international waters. Italian authorities also froze MSF's bank accounts, alleging anomalies in the disposal of medical waste aboard the ship. What's the latest for Ocean Viking then? It's currently the only operational rescue ship sailing in the central Mediterranean. The world's deadliest migration route. It's totally full and food supplies are running out quickly. Its crew are urgently seeking a port where they can disembark. They've called for EU intervention, criticizing maritime authorities who have been of little help. The UN recently appealed to Libya and the EU to reform their Mediterranean sea rescue policies. The organization suggested current practices deprive migrants of their rights and dignity, even if they manage to survive the crossing. According to the International Organization for Migration, 866 migrants have lost their lives in the Mediterranean Sea since the start of 2021, trying to reach a better life in Europe. There you have it.
Now you know what Ocean Viking is. In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions. What would you like to know about? Use the comments section to ask your questions on the podcast platform.