The 2015 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea is to go to Aviation Survival Technician Christopher Leon (United States), for risking his life to save four men from a sinking ocean-going rowing boat in a dramatic rescue in the dead of night in heavy seas in the Pacific Ocean.

The IMO Council, meeting for its 114th session in London, endorsed the decision of a Panel of Judges that Mr. Leon’s actions, including staying on the sinking boat with one of its crew for more than two gruelling hours while the rescue helicopter refuelled, merited the top award.

The Council further endorsed the decision that the other two crew members of the rescue helicopter CG-6531, Lieutenant Scott Black and Aviation Maintenance Technician Michael Spraggins, should both receive a Certificate of Commendation for their part in the rescue.

The Council also decided that, of the other nominees or groups of nominees, from a total of 27 nominations, received from 10 Member States and two non-governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO, four should receive Certificates of Commendation and three should receive Letters of Commendation.

The Council endorsed the Secretary-General's proposal that all merchant vessels involved in the rescue of migrants around the world be given special recognition, as a separate activity from the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.

The three crew of the rescue helicopter CG-6531, US Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco, were nominated by the Government of the United States of America.

The Awards ceremony is expected to take place at IMO Headquarters, on Thursday, 9 November 2015, at the end of the first day of the IMO Council 28th extraordinary session.

This annual award was established by IMO to provide international recognition for those who, at the risk of losing their own life, perform acts of exceptional bravery, displaying outstanding courage in attempting to save life at sea or in attempting to prevent or mitigate damage to the marine environment.

Nominations are scrutinized by an Assessment Panel made up of members of non governmental organizations in consultative status with IMO, under the chairmanship of the Secretary-General. Subsequently, a Panel of Judges meets (under the chairmanship of the Chairman of the Council, with the participation of the Chairmen of the Maritime Safety Committee, the Marine Environment Protection Committee, the Legal Committee, the Technical  Cooperation Committee and the Facilitation Committee) to consider the recommendations of the Assessment Panel and to select the recipient of the Award.

The recipient of the Award is invited to a special ceremony at IMO to receive a medal and a certificate citing the act of exceptional bravery performed.

There are three categories of honour: first, the Award itself, for the nominee judged to have performed the most outstanding act of bravery from among those described. Secondly, certificates of commendation are awarded to nominees who have committed acts of extraordinary bravery. And, thirdly, letters of commendation are sent to those nominees who are judged to deserve some special recognition for meritorious actions.
(Source : IMO)