Man Overboard – Initial Action

IMMEDIATE ACTION IN A MAN OVERBOARD SITUATION:

• PRESS THE MOB BUTTON ON THE GPS/ECDIS [TIME & POSITION WILL BE SAVED]
• LAUNCH THE MOB LIFEBUOY AND MARKER ON THE SIDE WHERE THE CASUALTY HAS FALLEN
• SOUND “O” ON THE WHISTLE, ANNOUNCE “MAN OVERBOARD” ON P.A SYSTEM
• PUT VSL ON HAND STEERING, BOTH STEERING MOTORS RUNNING, COMMENCE RECOVERY MANOEUVRE APPROPRIATE TO
THE SITUATION
• INFORM MASTER AND ENGINE ROOM [E/R TO STANDBY ENGINES AND COME TO MANOEUVRING SPEED]
• NOTE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION
• POST LOOK-OUT’S [WITH BINOCULARS] TO KEEP THE MOB IN SIGHT
• TRANSMIT MOB DISTRESS MESSAGE [MAYDAY] TO ALL SHIPS, CONTACT NEAREST RCC
• PREPARE RECOVERY EQUIPMENT, RESCUE BOAT, RESCUE TEAM, PORTABLE COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT
• WHERE REQUIRED FOLLOW APPROPRIATE SEARCH PATTERNS AS ADVISED IN THE IAMSAR MANUAL

• IAMSAR [AS AMENDED IN 2019] SHOWS 4 STANDARD MOB RECOVERY MANOEUVRES, NAMELY, THE ANDERSON OR SINGLE
TURN, WILLIAMSON TURN, SCHARNOV TURN AND LOREN TURN. WHICH MANOEUVRE IS USED, DEPENDS ON THE
PREVAILING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND WHETHER:
o THE MOB IS NOTICED FROM THE BRIDGE AND IMMEDIATE ACTION IS TAKEN
o THE MOB IS REPORTED TO THE BRIDGE AND ACTION IS TAKEN AFTER A LITTLE DELAY
o THE PERSON IS REPORTED TO THE BRIDGE AS MISSING

• POINTS TO CONSIDER
• BEFORE STARTING RECOVERY MANOEUVRE, CHECK THAT THERE
ARE NO OTHER VESSELS OR HAZARDS LIKELY TO POSE A DANGER
TO OWN VESSEL.
• INFORM OTHER VESSELS TO STAY CLEAR AS YOU CARRY OUT THE
MANOEUVRE.

PREP. BY: CAPT. S.F. GOMEZ DATE: 03FEB2017 REV: 1 OF 05FEB2020 ASM/PH2/SM 1
 Man Overboard – Anderson/Single Turn
ANDERSON OR SINGLE TURN:
ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES:
• IMMEDIATE ACTION SITUATION
• FASTEST RECOVERY POSSIBILITY
• GOOD FOR SHIPS WITH TIGHT TURNING CHARACTERISTICS AND
CONSIDERABLE POWER
• MOB MUST BE IN SIGHT ALL THE TIME SO, NOT POSSIBLE FOR A
SOLE LOOKOUT TO INITIATE THE MANOEUVRE
• DIFFICULT FOR SINGLE SCREW VESSEL BECAUSE APPROACH TO A
MOB IS NOT STRAIGHT
• IMMEDIATE ENGINE RESPONSE IS ALSO REQUIRED SO THAT B
STOPPING MANOEUVRE CAN BE INITIATED SOON

ACTION :
A. RUDDER HARD OVER TO SIDE OF MOB
B. AFTER DEVIATING FROM ORIGINAL COURSE BY 250°,
RUDDER MIDSHIPS AND INITIATE STOPPING MANOEUVRE

PREP. BY: CAPT. S.F. GOMEZ DATE: 03FEB2017 REV: 1 OF 05FEB2020 ASM/PH2/SM 2
 Man Overboard – Williamson Turn
WILLIAMSON TURN:
ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES:
• IMMEDIATE ACTION SITUATION
• MAKES GOOD THE RECIPROCAL OF THE ORIGINAL TRACK LINE
• GOOD IN REDUCED VISIBILITY, MOB NEED NOT BE
CONTINUOUSLY IN VIEW C
• TAKES THE SHIP FARTHER AWAY FROM THE SCENE OF THE
INCIDENT
• SIMPLE BUT SLOW PROCEDURE
• LOOKOUT’S MUST KEEP MOVING FROM SIDE TO SIDE TO TRY TO
LOCATE OR KEEP THE MOB IN VIEW

ACTION :
D
A. RUDDER HARD OVER TO SIDE OF MOB
B. AFTER DEVIATING FROM ORIGINAL COURSE BY 60°,
B
RUDDER HARD OVER TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE
C. WHEN 20° SHORT OF RECIPROCAL COURSE, PUT RUDDER
TO MIDSHIP AND STEADY VESSEL ON RECIPROCAL COURSE
D. ENGINE TO BE AT MANOEUVRING SPEED AND READY FOR
STOPPING ONCE MOB IS SIGHTED AND NEARBY
A

PREP. BY: CAPT. S.F. GOMEZ DATE: 03FEB2017 REV: 1 OF 05FEB2020 ASM/PH2/SM 3
 Man Overboard – Scharnov Turn
SCHARNOV TURN:
ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES:
• DELAYED ACTION SITUATION
• TAKES VESSEL BACK INTO HER WAKE
• LESS DISTANCE COVERED [COMPARED TO WILLIAMSON TURN]
THUS SAVING TIME
• NOT EFFECTIVE UNLESS THE TIME ELAPSED BETWEEN
OCCURRENCE OF INCIDENT AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE
MANOEUVRE IS KNOWN
A

ACTION :
A. RUDDER HARD OVER TO EITHER SIDE B
B. AFTER DEVIATING FROM ORIGINAL COURSE BY 240°,
RUDDER HARD OVER TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE
C. WHEN 20° SHORT OF RECIPROCAL COURSE, PUT RUDDER
TO MIDSHIP AND STEADY VESSEL ON RECIPROCAL COURSE
D. ENGINE TO BE AT STANDBY AND READY FOR STOPPING
C
ONCE MOB IS SIGHTED AND NEARBY

PREP. BY: CAPT. S.F. GOMEZ DATE: 03FEB2017 REV: 1 OF 05FEB2020 ASM/PH2/SM 4
LOREN TURN:
Man Overboard – Loren Turn
• FACILITATES LAUNCH AND RECOVERY OF A RESCUE
BOAT.
• FACILITATES RESCUE WORK BY OTHER CRAFT.
• CIRCLING CALMS THE SEA BY INTERFERING WITH
WAVE PATTERNS.
• THE MORE TURBULENCE CREATED BY THE SHIP THE
BETTER.
• ADDITIONAL SHIPS CIRCLING TO WINDWARD WILL
C
CALM THE SEA FURTHER.

ACTION
A. HEAD INTO THE WIND AT FULL SPEED. F
B. SLOW DOWN AND LAUNCH RESCUE CRAFT.
C. BEGIN THE CIRCLE AND REDUCE TO SLOW WHEN THE B
WIND IS ABEAM.
D. WHEN THE WIND CROSSES THE STERN TO THE OPPOSITE
D
QUARTER, INCREASE TO HALF SPEED.
E. CONTINUE CIRCLING AS LONG AS CALMER WATER IS E
NEEDED.
F. SLOW DOWN, OR STOP, TO LAUNCH AND RECOVER
RESCUE BOAT ON THE LEEWARD SIDE, INSIDE THE CIRCLE.

NOTE: IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE HANDLING

CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR OWN VESSEL. OPPORTUNITIES A
SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PRACTICE THESE MANOEUVRES.
DEPENDING ON THE SHIP'S HANDLING CRITERIA IT MAY NOT
BE NECESSARY TO BEGIN THE LORÉN TURN HEAD-TO-WIND.
PREP. BY: CAPT. S.F. GOMEZ DATE: 03FEB2017 REV: 1 OF 05FEB2020 ASM/PH2/SM 5
 Man Overboard – Double, Elliptical or Racetrack Turn
DOUBLE, ELLIPTICAL OR RACETRACK
TURN:
THOUGH NOT SHOWN IN IAMSAR THIS A
TURN MAY BE USED WHEN A D
STRAIGHT LINE APPROACH TO THE
MOB IS DESIRED. MoB
ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES:
• IMMEDIATE ACTION SITUATION
• STRAIGHT LINE APPROACH TO THE B
MOB C
• NOT SUITABLE IN RESTRICTED
VISIBILITY, MOB MUST BE IN SIGHT
• VESSEL RETURNS TO THE COURSE
STEERED JUST BEFORE THE MOB
INCIDENT
• TAKES LONGER THAN THE
ANDERSON TURN
ACTION :
A. RUDDER HARD OVER TO SIDE OF THE MOB
B. STEADY ON RECIPROCAL COURSE AFTER DEVIATING FROM ORIGINAL COURSE BY 180°
C. WHEN 30° ABAFT THE MOB POSITION PUT RUDDER HARD OVER TO THE SAME DIRECTION AS BEFORE
D. ENGINE TO BE AT STANDBY AND READY FOR STOPPING ONCE MOB IS SIGHTED AND NEARBY

PREP. BY: CAPT. S.F. GOMEZ DATE: 03FEB2017 REV: 1 OF 05FEB2020 ASM/PH2/SM 6
 Man Overboard – Preparing for Rescue Ops
WHILE PROCEEDING FOR RESCUE :
• PREPARE FOR SAR ACTION AND RECOVERY OF THE PERSON FROM THE WATER.
• ASSESS THE RISKS LIKELY TO BE ENCOUNTERED AT THE SCENE [EG OTHER TRAFFIC, RESTRICTED WATERS
ETC].
• PREPARE AND KEEP THE FOLLOWING EQUIPMENT READY FOR USE :
o ANY SPECIALISED RECOVERY EQUIPMENT
o LIFEBOAT, INFLATABLE LIFERAFT
o LIFEBUOYS, BUOYANT LIFELINES, HAULING LINES
o RESCUE BASKET, STRETCHER, SCRAMBLING NETS, PILOT LADDER, ACCOMMODATION LADDER
o GMDSS AND PORTABLE RADIO EQUIPMENT
• ALSO KEEP READY :
o BINOCULARS, CAMERAS, SIGNALLING LAMPS, SEARCHLIGHTS, TORCHES, LOUD HAILERS, SMOKE
FLOATS ETC.
o MEDICAL EQUIPMENT – STRETCHER, BLANKET, MEDICINES AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES [BANDAGES ETC],
o CRANE OR OTHER LIFTING DEVICE [WITH RECOVERY DEVICE] ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VESSEL
o A GUEST WARP [LINE] FROM BOW TO STERN, AT WATERS EDGE – FOR MOB TO HANG ONTO
o AT LOWEST WEATHER DECK – PILOT LADDERS, SCRAMBLE NET, MANROPES
o LIFEBOATS – TO USE AS BOARDING STATION, FLOODLIGHTS [FOR NIGHT USE]

AT NIGHTFALL OR WHEN VISIBILITY IS POOR AND IN ROUGH WEATHER IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO

SUSPEND THE RECOVERY OPERATION AND STANDBY UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVE AND THE RISK OF
RUNNING DOWN THE CASUALTY IS REDUCED OR ELIMINATED.

PREP. BY: CAPT. S.F. GOMEZ DATE: 03FEB2017 REV: 1 OF 05FEB2020 ASM/PH2/SM 7