The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) has launched its 2018 HERO awards with a call for nominations.
The organisation wants to know about acts of search and rescue (SAR) bravery that have helped save lives at sea around the world.
Entries can be made in four categories: individual, team, innovation and technology and the Vladimir Maksimov award for lifetime achievement in the SAR sector.
The awards recognise actions that took place or were completed between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2018.
All of the submissions will be assessed by the judges and the winners announced at an awards dinner held at the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue at its new training centre, RS Noatun Langgrunn in Horten, Norway, on 8 November.
E-mail imrfawards@imrf.org.uk for a nomination form. Entries close on 31 July.
Last year's individual award was won by first mate Anton Tasanen, of Prima Shipping Group’s 3,000-dwt general cargoship Prima Donna (built 1987).
The vessel’s cook had fallen overboard in rough weather off Finland and a lifebuoy was thrown to him.
He was then seen to lose consciousness in the cold water, turning over to float face down.
“First mate Tasanen realised the situation was perilous and told his crew he would jump into the water, using the rope already in the water to wrap around himself and the cook, enabling the crew to use the vessel’s mooring winch to pull them aboard,” IMRF said.
He managed to loop the rope around the two of them, holding the unconscious cook tightly.
The winching process worked, but Tasanen was badly injured, fracturing seven ribs and breaking two more.
