Surviving ship crash (in sea or ocean)
Surviving Ship Crash
Most people never think they’ll be involved in a ship crash on the sea or ocean. This sounds like something that would only happen in a movie or on the Titanic in 1912. The truth is that ships crash or malfunction all the time when they are out at sea. Just recently there was an Italian cruise ship that sunk into the ocean and killed many people as a result. As a passenger you have to know the procedures of surviving a ship crash, especially if the ship is sinking. That way you can save your life and possibly the lives of other people.
The first step of survival is not to panic. People who panic often don’t think rationally, which means they will make the wrong choices out of fear. The next step is to find a life preserver or ring buoy. These will help keep you afloat in case the ship sinks all the way into the sea and you have to survive in the water. You should also help other people locate these items for themselves as well. Most passenger ships come equipped with enough life rafts and small boats to hold everyone on board the ship in case it sinks. This was a lesson that was learned from the Titanic, since that ship didn’t have enough boats to hold all of its passengers. However, you may be on a regular cargo ship or fishing boat that doesn’t have any smaller boats to use in an emergency. In this situation, you will need the life preserver and buoy more than anything else.
If you still have enough time before the ship sinks, try to locate a flare gun or something that can create a signal in the sky. If you can find a piece of wood and a lighter, that will be sufficient as well. Now if you are already in the water and are floating on the top of it, try to locate some other floating debris from the ship so you can hold onto it. If you find a big enough piece of debris, you may be able to get on top of it without having to stay in the water. Don’t forget the ocean is swimming with sharks that are just waiting to eat people. If you end up having to float on the water with a life preserver or buoy, there is always the chance that a shark will swim up and bite your legs. So always try to get your whole body completely out of the water whenever possible. After that, all you can do is wait to be rescued. If you have a flare gun then you can shoot that into the sky and signal for help. Otherwise, just try to stir the boat towards the direction where you think the nearest land may be.