What action should be taken immediately after someone goes overboard?

• A. Initiate the recovery procedure
• B. Call for more people
• C. Ignore
• D. Signal Mayday

Answer: (A)

When someone goes overboard, the immediate priority is to start the recovery procedure. Time is critical, so you don’t wait to gather more people or to make distress calls before acting. The quick sequence focuses on bringing the person back to safety: identify and announce the MOB, keep visual contact with the person, throw a flotation device, and begin the prescribed maneuver to bring the vessel back toward the person while the crew carries out their assigned tasks. This rapid, organized response maximizes the chance of a successful recovery. Calling for help or signaling may be necessary as part of the overall plan, but delaying the recovery to do those can waste crucial seconds, and ignoring the situation is unacceptable.