Originally Posted by
Cabe LeCutter
I think that you will find that most merchant vessels struggle to recover someone from the water because of a very high freeboard. They are not generally equiped to launch a boat and recover it. If someone goes overboard in my area, they always ask for assistance for recovery.
Look at most vessels these days and they are equipped with lifeboats on slides, not much chance of getting that back on board easily; or liferafts.
Heads down, look out for the flak.
Under SOLAS requirements, large cargo ships are not only required to have enough lifeboats or liferafts for all the passengers and crew, but they must also have a rescue boat which meets particular launching and recovery requirements. The rescue boat requirement can be met by a suitably equipped lifeboat provided it can be recovered, but is typically met by something like a rigid inflatable.