IMO awards Exceptional Bravery at Sea Award to piracy survivor
The Council agreed that Captain Seog displayed truly extraordinary bravery and concern for his crew after his ship was hijacked in the Indian Ocean in January 2011, going far beyond the call of duty, at great risk and danger to himself. With the pirates onboard, Captain Seog steered the vessel away from the Somali coast, watered down the fuel to prevent combustion, pretended the steering gear was not working properly and reduced the vessel’s speed. He also managed, surreptitiously, to communicate information to naval forces, which facilitated a dramatic raid by commandos from the Republic of Korea’s destroyer Choi Young. As a result, all 21 crew members were rescued.
During the hijack, Captain Seog was subject to a number of assaults, causing fractures to his legs and shoulders. He was later shot twice in the abdomen and once in the upper thigh, required several surgical operations and almost lost his life.
The Council also decided that, of the other nominees or groups of nominees, eight should receive Certificates of Commendation and eleven Letters of Commendation.
The Council further agreed that special certificates be awarded to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) Falmouth (United Kingdom) and Stavanger (Norway) for their contribution, on several occasions, to search and rescue operations unfolding in distant areas, far away from their respective countries’ SAR regions, and for their dedicated performance over many years.
A total of 38 nominations from 14 Member States and one non-governmental organization in consultative status with IMO were received. They were first considered by an Assessment Panel, which was chaired by the IMO Secretary-General and consisted of experts nominated by various international non-governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO. A Panel of Judges then met, led by the Chairman of the IMO Council, with the participation of the Chairmen of IMO’s Maritime Safety, Marine Environment Protection, Legal, Technical Co operation, and Facilitation Committees.
A ceremony for the winner to receive his award will be held on Monday 21 November, the first day of IMO’s biennial Assembly meeting.
Source: IMO
Unlock Exclusive Insights Today!
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Be the First
to Know
Join the 110,939 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
Why Join the gCaptain Club?
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up