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“Man overboard” is a situation where someone falls off a boat, and nearby vessels should proceed with caution and assist in a rescue attempt. There are various ways someone can fall overboard, and different methods to locate them, such as GPS and signal flags. A “pan-pan” call can also be made to alert other boats to proceed with caution.
The term “man overboard” refers to a situation where someone has fallen overboard. When the warning is issued, any other vessels within earshot should proceed with caution and anyone capable of doing so should assist in a rescue attempt. An individual seeing someone in the water for the first time is generally advised to issue a man overboard warning, keep an eye on the person in distress, and help guide rescuers. There is an international maritime signal flag for this emergency, which is divided into red and yellow diagonally from top left to bottom right. In some circumstances, a “pan-pan” distress call can be made to alert nearby vessels that a rescue is in progress.
There are a variety of different ways that an individual can fall from a boat, resulting in a man overboard situation. Rough seas or strong winds can combine with a slippery deck and throw someone off balance. On sailboats, there is also the danger of a boom swinging around and knocking someone overboard. A man overboard situation can arise from bad luck, carelessness, poisoning, or it can even be intentional.
If a crew member or passenger cannot be located, it can be assumed that they have gone overboard. In a situation like this, all available hands may be called upon to scan the surrounding waters for signs of the missing person. At other times, an individual may be witnessed going overboard. In this case, the witness should issue a man overboard warning, maintain a vision of the individual in the water, and continually point or indicate to the person in distress. Keeping the person in sight can ensure that he doesn’t get lost in the waves, and signaling can help the boat captain maneuver for a rescue.
Many ships include a man overboard (MOB) function in their global positioning system (GPS). When activated, this feature can keep track of the exact location where someone went overboard. The captain can use that information to return to that location if visual contact is lost. Other systems include automatic functionality, where each crew member wears a device that will activate the MOB function if they come into contact with salt water. This can create a record of where the person went overboard, even if no one saw it.
An internationally recognized signal flag can be flown to alert other nearby vessels that someone is in the water. In some circumstances, a “pan-pan” call will also be issued to let other boats know to proceed with caution. This warning may also alert other vessels that the rescue ship may have restricted ability to maneuver for the duration. Nearby ships alerted by these means can assist in the rescue operation or simply stay clear as the situation requires.
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