When a vessel is in danger of sinking, lifeboats and rafts are not always available for abandoning ship. In such cases the crew and passengers should, if possible, remain on the ship until another vessel arrives on the scene and sends boats or rafts across. The rescue should not be…
If a vessel is disabled or in distress the following actions should be considered: If it is disabled and the safety of the crew and vessel is not an immediate issue. Hoist/activate the not under command shapes or lights. Try and repair the vessel. If the crew cannot repair the…
When a sea boat is launched to recover survivors and the sea is rough, then the following should be done to limit the damage and risk to persons in the boat: The rescue ship should stop upwind of the area to provide a sheltered lee for the sea boat to…
If a person falls overboard whilst the vessel is under way, the following procedure should be carried out: A lifebuoy fitted with a self-acting light/smoke generator should be launched over the same side as the person fell. The helm must be put hard over to the side the man fell.…
Whilst the rescue vessel(s) are steaming towards the casualty area, the crew should start preparing for the rescue of the survivors. Whilst it is difficult to envisage every possible action one could take, the following should be considered when drawing up the plan. The weather and sea state in the…
It is of great importance that all rescue operations are properly coordinated and with the new Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), the prime responsibility for coordination falls on the shoulders of shore base authorities, ie the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC). At sea the ship with the best communications…
