A dive team in Oregon has recovered the body of a crab fishing vessel crewmember, who fell off the boat last week. Coast Guard crews had been dispatched to the scene after receiving a radio call from the vessel that one of the crew had fallen overboard.

It’s hard to fully appreciate the nightmare that can quickly unfold for a seaman on a tanker, freighter, commercial fishing vessel or any other type of Jones Act vessel, if he manages to fall off. This is especially more so if such falls occur during the winter season, when you can expect freezing waters. For instance, a fall overboard into the waters of the Bering sea off an Alaskan king crab fishing vessel, means that a seaman has only a couple of minutes within which he must be rescued. Hyperthermia can quickly set in, and once this happens, a crewmember may find it hard to stay afloat. The numbness in the body may be accompanied by dizziness, confusion and disorientation, making it harder for a seaman to focus on staying alive.

In case of a fall overboard, the vessel must make efforts to locate the missing crewmember for as long as there may be reasonable hope that the crewmember is alive. Unfortunately, maritime lawyers are more likely to come across cases where a worker has been killed in a fall overboard, than rescued.

It’s not necessary that every fall overboard automatically translate into a death sentence for the concerned seaman. With the use of Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and other technologies, locating a missing crewmember is much easier than it is used to be.  There are also systems that can monitor the movement of seamen. These systems can sound an alarm when any crewmember is missing. Not all vessels come with these systems, but they are a substantial investment in worker safety.

Something as simple as wearing a life jacket can increase your chance of surviving a fall. Unfortunately, work on a crab fishing vessel can be hectic and strenuous, and workers often prefer to work without wearing a jacket because wearing these can be cumbersome and get in their way. This can significantly alter their chances of surviving a fall overboard.