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Surviving an Abandon Ship in Polar Waters
Polar waters are, by their nature, inhospitable to human survival. The hazards to survival are cold-related illnesses, environmental challenges of the weather and temperature, and the remote working area, making the wait for rescue longer than in most other areas.
The ship's crew's best survival chance is to remain on the vessel. It is large, easy to spot, and provides shelter from the elements. Abandonment onto the ice or into polar waters should be a final resort.
When abandoning, all onboard should be dressed appropriately, in layers of warm clothing and with thermal immersion suits fitted. Hands, feet, heads, and necks should all be covered fully to minimise exposure to freezing temperatures, and the outer layer should be waterproof as much as possible. The greatest risk to survival is cold-related illnesses such as frostbite and hypothermia, and exposure to these can be mitigated by dressing appropriately before abandoning the ship.
All crew members should take their Personal Survival Kits (PSKs) with them, and there should be nominated persons to take the General Survival Kits (GSKs). These provide additional survival materials and will assist in survival, especially if crew members become separated into smaller groups by shifting ice.
Before abandoning the ship, ensure that distress alerts have been sent and that all Emergency Beacons have been activated.
When abandoning into the water, care should be taken to remain as dry as possible. The vessel should have enclosed lifeboats as well as liferafts. Both can be boarded dry, and all measures should be taken to keep personnel clear of the water.
If the ship is not fitted with davit-launched liferafts or a suitable means of escape, boarding ladders should be used to abandon into floating liferafts. Failing this, descending by pilot ladder, rope, or other means is still preferable to boarding wet.
If you have to jump into the water, this should be done from as low a height as possible to avoid going deeper than necessary. Lifejackets must be worn, as must waterproof clothing and thermal immersion suits. The mouth and nose should be covered by one hand and this hand locked in place by the other to prevent cold shock, causing you to breathe in water upon entry. Jump in as close to the lifesaving appliances as possible and immediately board and assist others in getting in.
