What Crew Members Say About Ocean-Ang

On August 25, 2020, a devastating maritime disaster unfolded when a refugee vessel capsized off the southeastern shores of Harki, Greece. The 'Ocean Ang', a ship journeying from Alexandria to Suez, promptly answered the distress call and, in conjunction with four other vessels, launched a critical search-and-rescue mission in the vicinity of the submerged craft. While the accompanying ships maintained a safe distance, the crew of the 'Ocean Ang' executed a focused and courageous SAR operation in the immediate area of the wreck. Within just two hours, their commendable efforts led to the successful rescue of 41 individuals from the treacherous waters. In total, the combined operation resulted in 96 survivors being brought to safety, marking it as one of the most significant and triumphant rescue efforts in the history of the Aegean Sea.

In a challenging turn of events, the cargo vessel 'Ocean Ang', journeying from Alexandria to Kavkaz, became embroiled in a search and rescue (SAR) operation involving 96 migrants aboard the motor yacht 'Sea Power', which tragically capsized 21 nautical miles west of Halki, northwest of Rhodes, late on August 25, 2020. The rescue efforts which took place in Greece's SAR zone led to five survivors being transported to Karpathos, while 72 others were taken to Rhodes. An additional Malta-flagged cargo vessel managed to rescue 19 individuals but encountered interference from two Turkish patrol boats that hampered the mission. In a related incident, three suspected smugglers, linked to a human trafficking network operating out of Turkey and implicated in illegal transportation to southern Italy, were apprehended. The operation faced further complications when Turkish vessels attempted to impede a Hellenic Air Force rescue helicopter, which was dispatched to retrieve an injured individual from the 'Ocean Ang'. Reports indicate that the Turkish boats interfered with the helicopter's communications, issuing misleading directives in accented Greek. Throughout the evening, the Hellenic Coast Guard maintained communication with their Turkish counterparts, initially requesting their withdrawal, while the Turkish officials sought time to ascertain the situation. In the final discussion, Turkey asserted control over the area, claiming jurisdictional rights. As search efforts continued into August 26, reports indicated that one man and one child remained unaccounted for, underlining the urgency of the SAR operation. Further details and images can be found at the provided links to Ekathimerini and the Hellenic Coast Guard's official site.