MOB lost at sea - skipper's obligations?

[prv]

One of the quasi-official books for merchant seafarers (think it might be the Ship Captain's Medical Guide) has the procedure for death on board (not lost overboard though AFAIR). The preferred approach is to immediately report the death to the company ashore (to tell next of kin and start whatever other official processes) and freeze the body to hand over at the next port of call (no mention of diverting especially).

Not reporting until arrival if lacking the necessary equipment, and burying the body at sea if it cannot be safely kept, are both catered for as lesser options.

Pete

 

[AntarcticPilot]

One of the quasi-official books for merchant seafarers (think it might be the Ship Captain's Medical Guide) has the procedure for death on board (not lost overboard though AFAIR). The preferred approach is to immediately report the death to the company ashore (to tell next of kin and start whatever other official processes) and freeze the body to hand over at the next port of call (no mention of diverting especially).

Not reporting until arrival if lacking the necessary equipment, and burying the body at sea if it cannot be safely kept, are both catered for as lesser options.

Pete

"Kurafid" - the first Aid hand book of British Antarctic Survey - gives several pages over to the important matters of how to tell if someone is dead, and what to do if they are! But it's not your ordinary First Aid book - it has to assume that you may be days or even weeks away from assistance. But it can be surprisingly difficult to be CERTAIN you have a dead body on your hands, unless there is major traumatic injury. And the advice is don't stop trying to resuscitate a person until you and all your companions are agreed it is no longer useful - and then go on for another hour or two!

Of course, in Antarctica, preserving the body is NOT a problem, so sealing the body in a body bag and keeping it until back at civilization is the correct procedure. Base Commanders in Antarctica usually have legal authority as magistrates, so can register deaths and so on.

 

[pteron]

I tell everyone i will keep looking until we're gonna run out of food or fuel. That might mean looking for days or even weeks.

I would go to agreed destination unless near departure point, but not until after a very very long search.

And that, tcm, is why I'll sail with you any time!

(Congrats on the latest crossing BTW)

 

[coliholic]

And that, tcm, is why I'll sail with you any time!

(Congrats on the latest crossing BTW)

Ditto Matt well done.

But what if nearest landfall is somewhere a touch say hostile or underdeveloped? For instance let say your going to South Africa and you lose a crew member off Nigeria. Would you call in to Nigeria to report the loss or carry on to S.A?

Or the other side of Africa, you've lost someone overboard off the Somali coast. What next skip?

 

[fireball]

TBH - the majority of distance cruisers carry long distance comms - usually a Sat Phone ... if this was to happen whilst I was onboard (a british vessel) then I'd probably contact Falmouth Coastguard