A Man Overboard (MOB) recovery plan is a structured approach to ensure that if someone falls into the water, they are located and recovered quickly and safely. A good plan covers prevention, immediate response, recovery methods, communication, and post-recovery actions:

  1. Prevention Measures
    • Ensure all personnel on deck or engaged in high-risk activities wear Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)
    • Equip personnel with personal MOB devices (AIS/DSC beacons or PLBs) to make detection faster if someone goes overboard. This ensures that the MOB will stay afloat automatically and can be immediately located by other crew or vessels.
  2. Immediate Response Procedures
    • Assign roles: who raises the alarm, who maneuvers the vessel, and who operate recovery equipment
    • Stop the vessel or take appropriate action to prevent drifting away from the person.
    • Deploy flotation aids immediately to keep the person afloat
  3. Recovery Methods
    • Identify which recovery devices are onboard (ladders, cradles, nets, stretchers, poles, etc.)
    • Choose the appropriate device based on the person’s condition (conscious, unconscious, or injured)
    • Parbuckle/Horizontal Recovery:
      • When using cradles and scramble nets, bringing a person out of the water horizontally (parbuckle method) is recommended.
      • This reduces the risk of post-rescue collapse, which can occur when an exhausted or injured person is lifted vertically out of the water too quickly.
      • Horizontal recovery supports the person’s body evenly and is especially important for unconscious, hypothermic, or injured individuals.
  4. Communication Protocols
    • Alert other vessels if needed.
    • Maintain continuous monitoring of the person overboard.
    • Use radios, DSC, AIS, or other systems to coordinate recovery when multiple vessels are involved.
  5. Post-Recovery Actions
    • Provide first aid and medical care as required.
    • Document the incident for safety records and lessons learned.
  6. Training and Drills
    • Conduct regular crew training on MOB procedures.
    • Run routine drills to ensure everyone knows their role and can operate recovery equipment efficiently
  7. Maintenance and Inspection
    • All MOB recovery equipment should be regularly inspected and maintained to ensure proper operations
    • Follow manufacturer’s maintenance requirements for each piece of equipment, including nets, cradles, ladders, and rescue baskets.
    • PLBs and personal MOB devices also require scheduled servicing or battery replacement to ensure they function reliably in an emergency.
    • Include checks of wear, corrosion, mechanical function, and proper stowage as part of routine safety procedures.