Man overboard drill

2 February 2026

Man overboard drill!

Every month, the crew of ‘Oosterschelde’ carries out several drills to stay well prepared for real emergencies. Yesterday, it was time for a man over board drill. While sailing from São Vicente to São Nicolau, a cardboard man unexpectedly fell overboard.

The general alarm was sounded immediately. At that moment, many things need to happen at once. The most important task is to keep sight of the person in the water. Several crew members focus solely on watching and pointing at the man overboard to ensure he is never lost from view.

At the same time, the ship must be turned around as quickly as possible. To do this, all sails need to be lowered first. Several crew members lower the sails as fast as possible, not neatly, but safely. Safety always comes first; no additional accidents should occur.

Equally important is confirming whether someone has actually fallen overboard, and whether it involves one or more persons. All guest crew are gathered on the main deck and names are called using a checklist. This quickly clarifies whether anyone is missing.

Meanwhile, the ship returns to the man in the water. The Markus net is prepared, and the rescue swimmer stands ready, wearing an immersion suit. Once the ship is stationary alongside the man, the rescue swimmer enters the water. Using the Markus net, the man is safely brought back on board.