What to Do When Someone Falls Overboard

When a person falls overboard, you must always keep the victim in sight, shout "Man Overboard" to alert the crew, and throw a buoyant flotation device toward them. You need to act quickly. 

Remaining calm and composed is critical to saving someone efficiently, so it's vital that you know what to do when someone falls in.

The first step to getting them back into the boat is to designate a spotter to keep their eyes on the person. If you have an alert system to signal that someone has fallen in, that should be activated, too. 

You'll also want to stop the boat's engines right away. This reduces the chance of a propeller accident. After you've done these things, here's what's next.

Updated July 30, 2026

How to Help Someone Who Falls Overboard

When someone falls overboard, fast and organized action gives them the best chance at a safe rescue. Here's what to do, step by step.

1. Yell "man overboard" and assign one person to keep their eyes on the person in the water at all times.
2. Stop the boat's engines right away to avoid a propeller accident.
3. Throw a lifebuoy or rescue line to the person. Don't jump in after them.
4. Call for help on a marine VHF radio or phone, and turn the boat back toward the person using a Williamson turn.
5. Bring the person back on board using a reboarding device, or with help from another passenger if you don't have one.
6. Check for injuries, shock, or hypothermia, and get medical attention even if they seem okay.

Practicing these steps before you head out helps everyone on board stay calm and react quickly if a real emergency happens.

Remember: A boating safety course builds on this foundation and prepares you to handle overboard situations and other emergencies with confidence.

Throw, Don't Go

Your instinct might be to dive in and try to save the person, but that's extremely dangerous and puts another person in the water to be rescued. 

Instead, remember the principle of "reach, throw, don't go." 

You want to throw a rescue line or lifebuoy flotation device to the person, giving them something to grab onto and keep themselves afloat. Make sure everyone who's on your boat understands how to throw and use these for increased safety.

You Need Good Communication and Coordination

Rescue efforts are much easier to handle when they're properly organized. By assigning specific tasks to each crew member, you can maintain an organized response to the rescue situation. 

Use a marine VHF radio, cell phone, or other communication device to issue a distress call. This can alert other vessels nearby to your situation and notify the Coast Guard. 

Don't forget to continue communicating with the person in the water, too. That helps provide reassurance and get more information about their condition at the same time.

How to Maneuver the Boat

Turning the boat around to ensure efficient access to the person matters, but it has to be done right to avoid running over the person in the water. 

1. A Williamson turn is often the best option. To make this turn properly, you turn the wheel hard to the side where the person fell overboard. 
2. Once your vessel is 60 degrees from its original course, you turn the wheel hard to the opposite side.
3. As you come around to 20 degrees from your desired reciprocal course, you'll adjust to midships and keep your course. Ideally, this will bring you around in a relatively tight loop that will put you back beside the person in the water.

Of course, other issues sometimes affect how well you can execute this maneuver or whether a different course path would be better. Consider things like wind direction and current conditions when planning your approach for the highest chance of success.

What is the Water Recovery Process?

Recovering a person from the water can be delicate and complex, and how you'll go about it can depend on their overall physical condition, the injuries they might have sustained when falling in, the weather conditions, what kind of rescue device they have, and other factors. 

A few things to keep in mind include:

• It's not always as simple as pulling them back toward the boat and up and over the edge, although that does work in many cases.
• If you have a reboarding device, you'll want to deploy that to help them get out of the water.
• Without a reboarding device, carefully bring them close to the edge of the boat and then gently pull them over the side. Get help to do this, which will reduce the risk of injury to you and the person you're rescuing.
• For someone injured or unable to be pulled into the boat, waiting on assistance from another vessel or even the Coast Guard may be necessary. That's why it's essential to put out a distress call immediately so that the response time will be faster and the person can be rescued as quickly as possible.

Seek Medical Attention

Boating accidents can turn into tragedies, especially if the person who fell overboard doesn't get medical attention. Even if they don't seem injured, there could be hidden internal damage or other issues. 

Don't wait to take them to shore and seek medical guidance. 

They could be at risk of a serious medical issue such as secondary drowning, where they've inhaled water that irritates their lungs. This causes pulmonary edema, where the lungs fill with fluid, making breathing hard and quickly becoming a life-threatening problem. 

Additionally, they should be evaluated for issues such as shock and hypothermia, especially if the water temperature is cold or they were in the water for a long time.

A Boating Safety Course Helps Reduce Accident and Overboard Risks

The best way to keep yourself and your passengers safe during boating season is to take a boater safety course through Boat-Ed. You'll learn how to reduce the chances of an accident and what to do when things go wrong, like if someone falls overboard. 

With boater safety education, you'll have more days on the water and more enjoyable boating adventures.

So, before you head out on the water again, learn how to keep yourself and others safe! Find the course for your state or choose our course for Canadian boaters and start learning with our online study guide. 

Content most recently reviewed and updated July 30, 2026. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the first thing to do if someone falls overboard?

A: Yell "man overboard" and assign someone to keep their eyes on the person in the water. Stop the boat's engines immediately to prevent a propeller accident. These two actions should happen before anything else.

Q: What should you always do when a person falls overboard?

A: Always keep constant visual contact with the person in the water until they're back on board. Throw them a lifebuoy or rescue line rather than jumping in yourself. Stay in communication with them and call for help if needed.

Q: What should you avoid if you fall overboard?

A: Avoid panicking or swimming against strong currents, since this wastes energy you need to stay afloat. Avoid removing clothing or shoes unless they're actively weighing you down. Try to stay calm, signal for help, and use any flotation device available.

Q: What is most likely to cause someone to fall overboard?

A: Sudden turns, wakes from other boats, and loss of balance while moving around the boat are common causes. Standing while the boat is underway or leaning over the side also increases the risk. Alcohol use significantly raises the chances of falling overboard as well.

Q: What is the best way to prevent someone from falling overboard?

A: Wearing a properly fitted life jacket at all times is the most effective way to prevent a fall from becoming a tragedy. Staying seated while the boat is moving and avoiding alcohol also reduce the risk. Boat operators should maintain safe speeds and avoid sudden maneuvers whenever possible.