200553 Rendering Assistance

Rendering Assistance
MARS Report 200553

Whilst on watch recently, I received a DSC distress call. I was about 8 hours steaming distance from the distress position and there were several ships nearer. However, as a matter of interest, I was monitoring the VHF communications between the various parties. The following is a "log" of the messages heard.

0522 received Distress Priority DSC call.

0523 Received MAYDAY call on VHF CH 16 Flooding in Engine Room. Immediate assistance reqired.

0524 Informed Master. Own vessel 8 hours away.

0524-0533 Various vessels asked distress vessel to repeat position and other details. None of them acknowledged MAYDAY. Chaos on Ch 16.

0530 Coast Radio Station asks for distress position and SITREP.

0532 Chaos resumes.

0533 Distress vessel - "Why has nobody acknowledged my MAYDAY"?

Silence on VHF Ch. 16!!!

0534 Ship A calls ship B by name - "you are closer, why don't you go to assist". (probably checked AIS data). Ship B to Ship A - "I am 100nm. North of the distress position proceeding North. I believe you are closer". Ship A to Ship B - "You received the DSC call"?. Ship B to ship A - "Yes, but no MMSI received. Ship A to ship B - "No need, maybe distress people already in liferaft".

0538 Ship X to Coast Station - "I have received distress call and am proceeding to position"

0552 Ship X to Coast Station - I am now 4nm away. No activity. Small ship. No rafts or boats in water. Proceeding closer. I will see if I can signal her. No reply on hailing by VHF.

I finally heard that a lifeboat was lowered by the crew of Ship X and that they were transferring people from the distress vessel. There was nothing visible when we passed the distress position at 1230.

What struck me more than anything was that if these kind of responses are happening in areas of dense traffic what is going to happen a few years down the line in open seas? Where has the obligation to render assistance gone?