What should you do if someone falls overboard?

If someone falls overboard, the best course of action is to stop the boat, throw them a flotation device, and keep them in sight. This response is crucial because maintaining visual contact with the person in the water is essential for their safety. Stopping the boat allows the person to have a chance to grab onto a flotation device and prevents any further risk of injury from the boat’s movement.

Throwing a flotation device provides immediate support to the individual, helping them to stay afloat and increasing their chances of being rescued safely. This approach maximizes the effectiveness of immediate assistance without putting anyone else in danger or complicating the situation further.

Choosing to increase speed could create a hazardous scenario, as it may lead to the person being injured by the boat or compromising the rescue efforts. Calling for help and waiting for assistance can delay critical immediate rescue actions that can be performed by the boat's operator, while returning to shore could take longer and is generally not practical when every second counts in a rescue situation.