On Friday 15 July 2022, the crew onboard the Maersk Brooklyn was contacted by UKMTO (United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations) while enroute from Salalah, Oman to Mombasa, Kenya. It was asked to be part of a Search & Rescue operation coordinated with the Mombasa MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) for 12 crew members of a distressed vessel whose crew had abandoned ship in a lifeboat and two life rafts.

After reaching the location, Maersk Brooklyn was able to rescue 10 seafarers. The other two crew members, who abandoned the ship by jumping overboard in life jackets, were still missing. Other vessels continued the search for the missing two after the MRCC released the Maersk Brooklyn from the Search & Rescue operation.

The dramatic rescue at sea

The 10 rescued crew members were brought safely on board the Maersk Brooklyn and provided with full support, they disembarked in Mombasa on 18 July in cooperation with the Kenyan Authorities and our local Protection & Indemnity (P&I) representatives.

“Providing assistance to people in distress at sea is part of a long-standing maritime tradition, and Maersk considers it our duty to honor this – there is no better fit to our values,” says Leonardo Sonzio, Head of Fleet Operations. “I’m very grateful that we were in the right place at the right time to help these people in need, and greatly appreciate the efforts and professionalism of the Maersk Brooklyn crew.”

Marex Media