What Happens When You Fall Off A Cruise Ship?

When someone falls off a cruise ship, the ship’s control center contacts the coast guard and a search begins. Officers aim to pinpoint the incident, covering a specific radius where the individual is. The annual number of incidents is low, but in the worst case scenario, if someone falls from a cruise ship in the middle of the night and no one knows, there are several things you can do to boost your chances of surviving and being found.

If you see someone fall or jump off a cruise ship, immediately throw them a flotation device if there is one nearby. Life buoys and orange life rings are available. Falling off a cruise ship poses imminent dangers, including the risk of impact with the water, potential drowning, and immediate threats to survival. Man overboard is the term for when a person has fallen off the ship and is in need of rescue.

When a man overboard situation occurs, the vessel follows a strict emergency protocol. The ship makes an emergency announcement and the crew activates a button that pinpoints the place where the person went into the water. The ship then stops and turns back to that area, performing a lengthy search and rescue operation, lasting several hours.

Chances of survival vary depending on the circumstances of the fall. A passenger could be injured if they hit part of the ship as they fall. As the cold moves through the victim’s body, they become more physically incapacitated and may be unable to hold onto flotation devices or use them. People who fall off ships are either drunk, high, suicidal, or are pushed.

If you see someone fall or jump off a cruise ship, immediately throw them a flotation device if there is one nearby. The ship crew will sound an alarm and initiate a man overboard procedure.