The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), in a statement issued Thursday, Oct. 5, lauded Ralph Montehermosa --- the only Filipino rescuer of the search and rescue vessel Ocean Viking.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard Gordon received a courtesy call from Montehermosa on Oct. 4.
Gordon called Montehermosa a "hero" for his dedication to his field.
PRC also noted that during Montehermosa's latest duty period on the ship, "their fleet rescued around 1,000 migrants who experienced mishap at sea."
For his part, Montehermosa said: "Masaya ako na nakaka-save ng buhay (I am happy that I can save lives).”
The Ocean Viking is a cargo vessel engaged in search and rescue operations in the central Mediterranean.
The vessel is chartered and operated by SOS MEDITERRANEE --- a European maritime humanitarian organization dedicated to rescuing lives at sea --- in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).