An article written by Petur Th. Petursson. Date: 2003/07/01

In the 1993 Search and Rescue Manual published by IMO, in-water rescue is one of the options that the captain has to consider as a last resort, in case of a man overboard rescue from his vessel. This may though be the safest and most effective way of rescue in bad weather.

A captain can not order, ask nor allow any of his crew members to be an in-water rescuer, unless he knows who is capable and has the mean and backup needed to exercise such an operation.

The lack of preparation to enable an in-water rescue, usually results in an increased risk to the one who finds his duty to render his family member or a friend a help in the water and to his helpers.

It may also result in an increased risk to the captain who finds that he has to do what he can, but he stands alone in such an operation or without a proper backup in case he finds the need to enter the sea by himself. In both cases they may end up uninsured.

By knowing how to prevent such an incident happen, how to decrease a need for in-water rescue and how to operate a safe in-water rescue, this can be avoided. Preparation in advance is therefore vital.

To be able to exercise in-water rescue operation, the company responsible for the operation of a vessel, an offshore installation or harbour area has to establish a man overboard safety and rescue policy, which forms a base of an insurance policy for man overboard rescuers. See man overboard safety and rescue policy draft documents on the Markus Lifenet Information CD version C302.

Although the Markusnet is designed to enable a man-overboard rescuer to activate the man-overboard casualty and bring it into safety and by that decrease the need for an in-water rescue, it is also designed to enable a safe in-water rescue operation and bring about a know-how and training possibilities for such a rescue operation.

As such the Markusnet is an ideal teaching and training tool on every vessel and in every marine safety training centre, to prevent man-overboard incidents happen and become a serious matter for all involved.