When you’re out on a cruise or on a friend’s boat, you may wonder what causes people to fall overboard. People can fall overboard for many reasons. This article will discuss those risks, how to rescue an overboard passenger, what they should do, and preventative measures. So let’s get into what is most likely to cause someone to fall overboard.
Why Do People Fall Overboard Most Often?
Standing on a moving boat
This happens mostly on sailboats and motorboats. Additionally, it is more likely to occur when the boat is swaying, and the person is not prepared for such a situation.
Intoxication
This is most common on cruise ships. Use common sense and stay away from the edge of a moving boat, particularly when drunk or sailing on rough seas.
Always keep one hand on the boat when standing or moving. Most boats have handholds, toe rails, and lifelines.
Don’t go on deck during windy or bad weather. If you must, wear a harness fastened to jack lines and follow the “one hand on the boat” rule.
Boat decks can be risky, especially sailboats in motion. Always notice your surroundings, and stay calm, steady, and sober.
What Happens When Someone Falls Overboard? Potential Risks
The Plunge
Big boats have decks above the water’s surface. This means you’ll fall at least a few dozen meters or more. The severity of physical harm depends on how you fall or where you land.
Falling from an acceptable height on the water is no different from falling on the rock-hard ground. That’s why divers dive in straight, pencil-like lines to break the water’s surface without hurting themselves. A bad position can, however, lead to broken bones.
The Chilling Water
During a fall overboard, the body releases all its air and tries to absorb as much air as possible. This can make you accidentally swallow water. Sudden immersion in very cold water is also a common cause of death when falling overboard. Limbs don’t move fast in very cold water, making it difficult to swim. Keeping your head above water will be difficult, increasing your chances of drowning.
The Strong Current
You can also fall overboard if you’re too close to the ship’s edge and tossed by strong waves. If it’s a large ship, it won’t hold you or pull you into its propellers, but most likely toss you into the rough water around the vessel. As a result, other passengers may have difficulty finding you.
Hypothermia
Your chances of survival depend greatly on the water’s temperature. A fall in Caribbean waters would be okay for a moment but falling in the Arctic Ocean could cause you to lose brain function and die in minutes from hypothermia (when the body loses heat faster than it can absorb, causing the body temperature to drop below 95 degrees).
Here are the symptoms of hypothermia:
- Muddled speech
- Inflexible joints
- Loss of dexterity
- Slow pulse
- Shivering intensely
- Bladder control problems
- Facial bloating
- Irregular thinking
Sharks
Sharks live in warm waters, not cold water. Don’t fear sharks or other aquatic animals because they aren’t violent and aren’t usually aggressive. Despite this, they can detect blood traces and will attack if they detect even a small amount of blood.
Ways to Rescue an Overboard Passenger
Overboard passengers may survive if someone realizes they are overboard. If someone falls overboard, immediately raise a “Man overboard!” alarm and keep an eye on them.
Track their exact position. Open seawater is rarely calm. The overboard passenger might disappear quickly because of intense waves and irregular surfaces. When it’s pitch-black at night, these situations can deteriorate, unless they wear something that’s glowing or shining.
When the person overboard is located, throw a life ring or anything that floats nearby so they can hold on until rescued. It also helps pinpoint their exact position.
Upon validating a “man overboard” alert, the boat can turn back to rescue the victim.
A huge ship can’t make a U-turn and pull out a fallen passenger. Instead of turning around a huge vessel, a smaller MOB boat rescues the victim.
What Should the Overboard Passenger Do?
They should stay calm, be relaxed, stay positive, be hopeful, and float instead of swim. It can make all the difference in life and death situations. They should stay alert while floating and control their breathing. They should also limit their movements to conserve energy. They can lay flat on their back with their head above water to save energy. They can also do the dead man’s float by following these steps:
- Breathe deeply and place their face in the water.
- Let their body relax and hang.
- When they need air, lift their head and breathe, then move their limbs to stay afloat.
- Deeply inhale and exhale, then repeat.
People who fall overboard have a better chance of being rescued if they stay calm and follow the rescuer’s instructions.
Ways to Prevent Falling Overboard
Don’t do a Rose and Jack selfie session. This increases your risk of falling overboard.
Avoid the edge when drinking or after drinking. Stay away from the edge when drunk. Get sober and collect your wits if you’re dizzy.
Stay safe during bad weather. It’s slippery outside, and rough winds can knock you down.
Wear non-slip shoes. When on a tour boat with a date, you might want to wear high heels. That’s fine, on dry land. Wear shoes meant for wet and dry floors on a boat.
Take arguments inside. If you have an argument, move to a safer place, such as your cabin. When emotions overwhelm you, stay away from the boat’s edge.
That’s what you need to know about what’s most likely to cause someone to fall overboard. When you’re on a cruise ship or any boat, follow the captain’s orders, and you’ll minimize your risk of falling overboard. We hope this article has informed you on what is most likely to cause someone to fall overboard.