Man overboard!

[Rob Lightbody]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/2929595139/

I love the way it says "For Emergency Use Only"...
Presumably the telephone is inside the yellow box -- I should have checked!

There was another emergency telephone in the Lido, to be used in case of an environmental catastrophe.

I wonder whether either of these were ever used?

I thought you were meant to throw the phone at the overboard man for him to use.

[Louis De Sousa]

I love the way it says "For Emergency Use Only"...
Presumably the telephone is inside the yellow box -- I should have checked!

When you see someone fall or in the water first thing to do is scream loud man overheard ask somebody nearby to keep an eye on the person and make them piont at the person with the finger to keep it in sight, next thing is try and get hold of these telephones opn the box and pick up the telephone it calls you directly to the bridge no need to dial any number also when picking the phone a GPS is set out so the Bridge know where to look.Throwing the life rings into the water should be done but then again with the ship going at 30 knots it does not help much.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

That's very clever, Louis. A great telephone to have to hand when needed!

I suppose all crew members knew exactly where they were and what they did, so as to use them very quickly if need be.

Pointing a finger at the fast disappearing person is a good idea too... but chances of picking them up again when the ship is moving, must be very small...

I did once hear "man overboard", but that was at the pontoon when tendering, and the man (a crew member), who had fallen off the pontoon, was picked up pretty quickly.

[Louis De Sousa]

I did once hear "man overboard", but that was at the pontoon when tendering, and the man (a crew member), who had fallen off the pontoon, was picked up pretty quickly.

That has happend often people fallen from the pontoons

I suppose all crew members knew exactly where they were and what they did, so as to use them very quickly if need be.

Yes some crew have that training when i done the CPSC course that was also part of it, crew members a jumped into the water while the others are sent away with tenders to pick them up.But like you like when the ship is at full the speed the chances are null basically.

On another note when a passenger and crew are missing onboard this has to be known to the Bridge here they will slow the ship down until a search is carried out when nothing is found the ship has to re-track its route back for 8 hours if i am not wrong here.During my time i remember of 2 crew gone missing, one time in the North Sea and once somewhere between New York and Bermuda.

[cunardqueen]

  On another note when a passenger and crew are missing onboard this has to be known to the Bridge here they will slow the ship down until a search is carried out when nothing is found the ship has to re-track its route back for 8 hours if i am not wrong here.During my time i remember of 2 crew gone missing, one time in the North Sea and once somewhere between New York and Bermuda. 

Its called the Williamson Turn, why its stuck im my memory l dont know, but l remember seeing something to do with it on the bridge of the MSC Melody.

[Peter Mugridge]

Here you go:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=williamson+turn&aq=3&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=williamson+tu

It seems it's the quickest and most accurate way to reverse track.  Named after a John Williamson who appears to be the first documented user of the maneouvre.

[Bob C.]

Its called the Williamson Turn, why its stuck im my memory l dont know, but l remember seeing something to do with it on the bridge of the MSC Melody.

There are two types of man-overboard maneuvers: Williamson and Anderson turns.  The Anderson turn is used during the day when the man/person/object is in sight and is just a 360 degree turn to the side the individual/object fell of or was noticed.  The Williamson turn is a 90 degree turn followed by and opposite 270 degree turn to attain and travel the reverse of the ship's track the individual or object fell overboard or was noticed and as depicted in Peter M's link. 

Today's electronic charting systems (or ECDIS) with GPS makes it very easy to retrace a ship's track but I will tell you from experience as a search and rescue helicopter pilot and a aircraft carrier navigator that looking for a bobbing head in a calm sea state in the day time is a challenge.  Add the cover of darkeness and a sea state of 3 or better and your chances of being found are not that good.  So stay safely on deck at all times!!!   

[Rod]

I thought you were meant to throw the phone at the overboard man for him to use.

He doesn't have his own cell phone???

[Twynkle]

Ref. Man Overboard etc
Curiously these posts around #40 were written at the same time as a possible man overboard 'event' happened on QM2's world cruise
It was shortly before we were due to enter 'pirate' waters off Somalia
19.30 hrs - Captains Cocktail Party for late diners, and mid-dinner for the early sitting
Someone had seen 'something' go over the railings towards the stern on Deck 7
It was possibly a person, or a long deck-chair cushion.
No matter what it was at this stage, it could have been a person
The ship turned round, quite a small full circle - (great watching her wake!)
The Commodore made an announcement
The entire ship's company and guests were required to return to their emergency drill stations/ cabins
to await further instructions.
A complete check of personnel was made, cabin stewards checking all the passengers.
A few names were called - and evidently these people were found to be alright
The whole exercise for passengers was completed in just over an an hour
The ship continued on her way, after no-one was found to be missing
The Commodore referred this, along with earthquakes, tsumami, pirates and a few other 'events'
in his farewell address to the Full Worldie passengers!


Would such an event would have been treated in exactly the same way on QE2?
(Being a bit of a cynic - at the time, it seemed like an intro to preparing pax for pirates - the drill was the same!)
Hope this isn't too far off topic - it did involve nooks and crannies!
 

[Rod]

When I was a joung child, a thousand years ago. I travelled on the original QE.
I have always been fascinated with workingmen and what they did.
Well this one day, I was watching a carpenter trimming a new section of teak railing that he had just put in on the Boat deck. I had been "helping" him. I asked "What can I do now?" He said" Throw the gash over the side" After testing the wind like I had been taught I threw the gash! Bucket and all! It was spotted by a pax in a cabin and the next thing you know we were doing man overboard drill.........  "Did I do thaaat?"    I wasn't allowed to help after that!

[Louis De Sousa]

Would such an event would have been treated in exactly the same way on QE2?

Yes Rosie the action would be the same on the QE2.

[Bob C.]

Anyone know of an actual man overboard rescue on QE2?

[Matteo 91]

Ref. Man Overboard etc
Curiously these posts around #40 were written at the same time as a possible man overboard 'event' happened on QM2's world cruise
It was shortly before we were due to enter 'pirate' waters off Somalia
19.30 hrs - Captains Cocktail Party for late diners, and mid-dinner for the early sitting
Someone had seen 'something' go over the railings towards the stern on Deck 7
It was possibly a person, or a long deck-chair cushion.
No matter what it was at this stage, it could have been a person
The ship turned round, quite a small full circle - (great watching her wake!)
The Commodore made an announcement
The entire ship's company and guests were required to return to their emergency drill stations/ cabins
to await further instructions.
A complete check of personnel was made, cabin stewards checking all the passengers.
A few names were called - and evidently these people were found to be alright
The whole exercise for passengers was completed in just over an an hour
The ship continued on her way, after no-one was found to be missing

 

[Bob C.]

Allow me to rephrase.

Does anyone know of an actual man overboard recovery where someone was actually in the water, the little red boat was launched, person recovered and taken down to medical?

 

[Rod]

Not in my 20 years!