When someone falls overboard, it’s unexpected and usually in difficult conditions. Even the best swimmers, taken aback by the shock and cold water, can become quickly disoriented. As your boat continues speeding away, spotting and keeping an eye on someone in the middle of the ocean can be difficult, if you glance away for just a second, you could lose sight of your victim. 

The first thing you should do in a man overboard situation is to provide additional flotation to the victim. In a perfect scenario, they will already be wearing a life vest but additional flotation like an underarm flotation device increases a person’s odds of surviving until the boat returns. Ideally, the additional flotation you throw out should be:

When selecting your aviation raft, you may be required to provide flotation for all of your passengers by FAA regulation or for Part 91, you want to have a raft onboard. In just looking at the raft, it can be hard to discern how many people will fit. For all FAA TSO C70a approved rafts, the rafts are categorized by passenger limits.

Abandoning ship is always your last resort. If your boat is rapidly sinking or there’s a fire that can’t be extinguished or contained, then it’s time to abandon.

Like everything else in boating, thinking through a plan will make a world of difference in an emergency situation. If you fall overboard into cold water, you need to be prepared for the shock of it and ways to maximize your survival time for a rescue. Falling into cold water is a lot different than in warm water, affecting your body within minutes; severely limiting your time in cold water.

It’s been a long winter and it’s time you get your safety gear out of storage. Before you get back on your plane, make sure your vest is fit to fly.