JP 3-50 National Search and Rescue Manual Vol I - US Navy

753 Rescue by Ship
diverting or dispatching surface vessels, or using a
helicopter, hovercraft, or other marine craft.
A. Rescue methods used by ships vary according to displacement and
whether the rescue is made in mid-ocean or close to land. Weather,
tides, currents, sea conditions, shoals, reefs, or darkness may also be
important factors.
B. Although it may be obvious that a marine craft should be used
for rescue operations, developing an alternative method of recovery is
often advisable. For example, helicopters may be used for evacuating
survivors picked up by marine craft to speed their delivery to emergency
care. Rendezvous between a marine RU and a helicopter can be made at
great distances offshore.
C. Removal of survivors from the water, life rafts, lifeboats, or
other vessels to the RU may be the most difficult phase of a maritime
SAR mission. The condition of the survivors may be such that they are
unable to help themselves; usually they will have to be assisted or
actually hoisted aboard. For this reason all SAR vessels or boats
should be prepared to lift survivors from the water without expecting
survivor help.
D. Rescue methods used by SAR vessels include:
1. Rescue of survivors directly from their vessel, using ship-toship
methods of direct, raft haul, raft drift, small boat, or
haulaway line.
2. Rescue of survivors in the water, using ship-alongside methods
of swimmer, line thrower, or lifeboat, or ship circle/trail
line.
754 Rescue by Boat
A. When survivors are located on lakes, sheltered waters, rivers,
or coastal areas, rescue will often be make by fast, limited-range boats
based close to the distress, or by private boats in the vicinity.
B. Since boats may be too small to take all
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