What is the immediate action when you first spot a MOB?

• A. Alert the crew, stop or slow the boat, and maintain visual on the person.
• B. Jump in immediately to recover the person.
• C. Call mayday and continue at speed.
• D. Ignore and continue.

Answer: (A)

Spotting a MOB calls for immediate action to keep the person from getting farther away and to set up a safe recovery. The first move is to alert the crew, slow or stop the boat, and keep your eyes on the person. Alerting the crew makes sure someone is ready to grab the rescue gear, prepare a plan, and communicate what’s happening. Stopping or slowing the vessel reduces drift from wind, current, and wake, giving you time to maneuver and approach without losing contact. Maintaining visual contact is crucial because it lets you judge how the person is moving relative to the boat, plan the best approach, and coordinate the recovery. Jumping in right away can put you at serious risk from waves, cold water, and entanglement, and you may lose sight of the MOB. Calling for mayday is necessary only if the situation overwhelms your ability to safely recover, not as the immediate action merely because you spotted someone in the water. Ignoring the situation or continuing on would allow the person to drift farther away and escalate danger.