Being rescued by a ship or a helicopter
1The lesson in plain words
Stay in your craft until told, let the rescuers choose the method, and expect to be lifted flat if you are cold and weak.
Stay put until told
When a ship or helicopter arrives, stay in your craft and wait for instructions. Do not jump into the water or swim to the rescuer: people drown or are crushed between craft and ship. Let the rescuers decide the method and the order, and have the injured ready to go first if told.
Rescue by a ship
The rescuing ship usually makes a lee, shelter from wind and waves. It may come alongside or send a rescue boat. You may board by ladder, a scrambling net hung over the side, a rescue sling supporting your body, a crane basket or a recovery net. Ships subject to SOLAS chapter III must carry ship-specific recovery plans under III/17-1, with guidance in MSC.1/Circ.1447. The plan matches the ship's equipment and recovery methods to conditions and survivors' needs.
Lift flat if you can
After long immersion or exposure, the body struggles to keep blood pressure up when upright. A cold survivor lifted upright, or who climbs a long ladder, can collapse, even die, during or just after rescue. Where possible, rescuers lift such people lying flat: in a basket, on a stretcher or in two slings. If you are cold and exhausted, tell the rescuers rather than trying to climb.
Helicopter rescue
A helicopter usually lowers a winchman or a rescue strop, a padded loop. Follow the aircrew's directions. Let the conductive hook or earthing wire discharge static electricity, built-up electrical charge, into the sea before touching the lifting gear. Never secure the winch wire or hook to the craft. Put the strop over your head and under your armpits, pull the toggle down to your chest and keep your arms down by your sides. Details are in Emergencies: helicopter and flares.
2Key data
- Recovery plans
- SOLAS ships: III/17-1, phased in from 1 July 2014
- IMO guidelines
- MSC.1/Circ.1447 (2012)
- Cold survivor
- Lift as horizontally as possible
- Helicopter strop
- Under the armpits, toggle down, arms by your sides
- Static
- Let the conductive hook or earthing wire touch the sea first
3Key points
- 1
Stay in the craft until the rescuers tell you what to do.
- 2
Ships use ladders, scrambling nets, slings, baskets and recovery nets.
- 3
SOLAS chapter III ships need recovery plans under III/17-1, with guidance in MSC.1/Circ.1447.
- 4
Lift cold survivors horizontally; climbing a ladder can make them collapse.
- 5
Helicopter: follow aircrew; conductive hook or earthing wire discharges into sea first; strop under arms, arms down.
4Frequent mistakes
Wrong: As soon as the rescue ship comes close, jump in and swim to her ladder.
Right: Stay in the craft and wait for instructions. The gap between craft and ship is very dangerous.
Wrong: Grab the helicopter hook as soon as it is in reach.
Right: Follow the aircrew's directions. Let the conductive hook or earthing wire discharge into the sea before touching the lifting gear. Never secure the winch wire or hook to the craft.
Wrong: Raise your arms in the strop to hold on to the wire.
Right: Keep your arms down by your sides, or you can slip out of the strop.
5Practice case & exam keys
After 30 hours in a liferaft, a bulk carrier makes a lee and lowers a scrambling net and a crane basket. One survivor, who was in the water for an hour before boarding, is shivering, weak and wants to climb the net to get out quickly.
Show the answer
Tell the rescuers that the survivor is cold and weak and ask for a supported horizontal lift. Do not encourage him to climb. Let the rescuers choose suitable equipment and decide who goes first. Others stay seated in the raft; fit survivors climb the net one at a time only if told. Keep lifejackets on until safely aboard, unless the rescuers instruct otherwise.
Exam keys
- Stay in the craft until told; never swim to the rescuer.
- Ship rescue: lee, ladders, nets, slings, baskets; SOLAS chapter III ships need recovery plans under III/17-1.
- Lift cold survivors horizontally where possible.
- Helicopter: follow aircrew; conductive hook or earthing wire discharges into sea first; strop under arms, toggle down, arms by sides.
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