A rescue diver from China, Mr. Zhong Haifeng, who conducted a number of underwater dives to save three people from a sunken cargo ship, received the 2018 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea during 2018’s IMO Awards ceremony.
Namely, the senior diver is part of the Engineering Team of Guangzhou Salvage. The award was presented to Mr Zhong Haifeng for his repeated efforts to save the three survivors.
He was nominated for the award by the Government of China. Mr Zhong stated that the award was a confirmation for his efforts and a boost for his team and himself.
Mr. Zhong Haifeng pointed out that:
In China in our business we have a motto. Prompt a hope of living unto others. And save the risks of death to ourselves
The incident stated above took place on November 2017 after collision of the bulk carrier M.V.Jin Ze Lun with another vessel in Guangzhou Port in China which led the bulker to sink. Two amongst 14 crew members were saved immediately by local marine authorities, whereas 12 remained missing. The bulk carrier was lying on the seabed, in the main channel into the port, and a current made the underwater search and rescue operation extremely difficult.
Mr Zhong was the one in charge in the saving operation. After 36 hours of diving, six survivors were found trapped in the cargo hold. Mr. Zhong instructed his team to replenish oxygen to the cabin and talk to the trapped survivors, to calm them.
Mr. Zhong then dived down to the cargo hold alongside a teammate, bringing scuba diving equipment for those trapped underneath. In the afternoon of 28 November, Mr. Zhong dived down six times. He showed survivors how to put on and use scuba diving equipment and personally rescued three of them in the space of one hour.
Also, during the ceremony there were three more certificates presented.
- An award was presented to the Master and crew of the bitumen tanker Seapower, the Master and crew of the petroleum/chemical tanker MTM Tortola and the pilot and crew of the HMS Monmouth’s Wildcat helicopter Black Jack (815 Naval Air Squadron, UK Royal Navy), jointly nominated by Malta, Singapore and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The certificates were received during the Awards ceremony by Captain Levan Mamaladze, Georgia, of the Seapower; Captain Anubhav Srivastava,India, of MTM Tortola; and Lieutenant Commander Ash Morgan,United Kingdom, Flight Commander of the Black Jack helicopter.
The ones awarded rescued 13 crew members of the sunken tanker MT RAMA 2, off Oman, in very adverse weather and sea conditions.
- The crews of the rescue helicopters Helimer 202 and Helimer 207 of the Spanish Maritime Safety Agency were nominated by Spain. They rescued 23 crew members from the general cargo ship Cheshire, which was laden with over 40,000 tonnes of fertilizer, on fire and adrift at sea.
The certificates were received by Pilot Alfonso Gómez de las Heras, Co-pilot Raúl Nevado, and Rescuer Gregorio Jimmy Rodríguez, from the Helimer 207; and Winch Operator Albert Lara of the Helimer 202.
- Captain Gaetano Gigliotti, on behalf of the officers and crew of the passenger ship Carnival Elation, nominated by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). They rescued a survivor found in a life raft, whose fishing vessel, the Captain Eddie, had flooded and sunk in storm force winds and seas.
Captain Gigliotti was at the ceremony to receive the certificate and was also reunited with Mr. Edward Potter, the rescued fisherman.
