Tips for self-rescue in water distress

(1) Wear a life jacket and prepare for escape.

    Once a person falls into the water, prolonged immersion in icy water can easily lead to hypothermia, which can cause core body temperature to drop below 35°C, leading to severe dysfunction of vital organs and ventricular fibrillation, a major cause of death in maritime accidents.

    Preventing hypothermia from icy water immersion primarily involves using lifesaving equipment appropriately, minimizing activity in the water, and taking every possible measure to prevent or minimize heat loss. Lifesaving equipment primarily includes flotation devices, such as life vests, lifeboats, and immersion suits, to prevent direct contact with the cold water.

life vests

lifeboats

immersion suits

(2) Stay Calm

    If a passenger ship is in distress, passengers should remain calm, follow the crew's instructions, quickly put on their life jackets, and avoid running to avoid affecting the ship's stability and wave resistance. Those who fall into cold water should use a life vest or grab onto floating objects from the sunken ship and float as quietly as possible. This will quickly alleviate the discomfort of entering the cold water.

    Avoid swimming unless necessary. In 10°C water, a person with good physical fitness can swim 1 to 2 kilometers; the average person will struggle to swim 100 meters.

(3) Protect your head and adopt a posture to slow heat loss

    After entering the water, avoid immersing your head and neck in cold water. To minimize the surface area of your body exposed to water, especially to the areas most susceptible to heat loss—the groin, groin, and chest—you should cross your arms in front of your chest and bend your legs toward your abdomen. If you're with several people, you can link arms and huddle together to conserve body heat.

(4) Sending a distress signal

1. When in distress at sea, you can use your ship's VHF, MF, or HF digital selective calling equipment and international maritime communications satellites to send a distress signal (SOS) to nearby ships or shore stations.

2. Call China Maritime 12395 for help.

3. Use a reflector to continuously illuminate the seawater.

4. Add dye to the seawater.

5. Fire a flare.

6. Burning clothing and other items.

(5) Avoid drinking seawater and seek food.

If you are in distress in tropical oceans, rainwater is often the main source of fresh water. If you are in distress in the polar regions, sea ice is also a source of fresh water. Marine life, such as fish, also contain abundant fresh water in their eyeballs and spinal cords, and fish meat also contains some water.