August 22, 2014
This dut
y of care is something we have seen among Teekay crews many, many times over the years, in rescues around the world.
Often, in the middle of a vast expanse of sea, a Teekay vessel finds itself closest to the action of an accident or a distress call, even hundreds of nautical miles away. The Captain immediately sets a new course to assist. Everyone on board scrambles to search and look out, to deploy life craft, to haul vessels alongside. In short, to save lives.
On July 28, the Teesta Spirit, en route to Turkey from Libya, received a distress rescue call from the Italian coastguard. They were asked to assist a small rubber boat adrift in the Mediterranean with 114 people aboard!
Our duty of care comes first, and the vessel diverted to take on all travelers and offer them care in the accommodation block (that usually houses just a full complement of 23 seafarers!).
Captain Vijay Rana commented: “We rescued 111 Somalians (other 3 were Ghanian), saved their life and treated them properly with respect and dignity. I wish the same treatment for the captured seafarers who are held in Somalia… I thank God that no lives were lost during this rescue operation and the whole ship staff supported me well in their respective assigned duties.”
Many thanks to Capt. Rana and the Teesta Spirit crew, and the shore team in managing the rescue with speed, efficiency, calmness, and kindness. In the most difficult situations we see the best of our Teekay Spirit.