From the hammering surf to the ocean’s depths, these vehicles retrieve the missing and stranded
During the summer season, more than 10,000 incidents at sea are reported to lifeguards in the UK. Meanwhile, between 1,500 and 2,000 people go missing each year while travelling on sea vessels. The world’s oceans can be violent and unpredictable, catching out many who enjoy and explore it. When this happens, there are specialised sea vehicles and technologies on hand to save lives. But there are many factors that contribute to their success. Firstly, where a person is stranded determines the time frame that rescuers are working with. Without food and water, a person floating in the ocean could survive for up to three days. However, when being churned by waves, lifeguards need to resurface swimmers within a matter of seconds.
Sea rescues also include those below the surface. Just as people enjoy the thrill of surfing the tide, the exploration of the ocean thousands of metres down has also risen in popularity. But this venture comes with increased safety complications. The further underwater a vessel travels, the lower the visibility for navigation is. More significantly, the water pressure increases with every metre descended, so humans can’t survive beyond a certain depth without a pressure chamber. One of the highest profile deep-sea rescues to take place occurred on 18 June 2023, when a submersible called Titan went missing in the Atlantic Ocean while carrying tourists to the site of the Titanic shipwreck. Unfortunately, the submersible was found to have imploded shortly after its descent, with no survivors. However, during the documented three days of searching, the mission demonstrated how aircraft surveillance, remotely operated vehicles, ships and sonar technology can be used to track down people and technology lost at sea.
COASTGUARD CALCULATIONS
When a person or watercraft goes missing, how do coastguards know precisely where they should look first? Using data of the area where the missing people were last seen, local weather events, ocean temperature and ocean movement patterns, rescuers can consult an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm. This data-analysis tool informs them of the most likely locations the missing people could be found if they’re floating with the tides.
When an individual has fallen overboard, crucial extra information, such as the person’s height and weight, increases the accuracy of tracking their movements and their chance of recovery. Beyond narrowing down the search area, this will also inform coastguards of the estimated time frame they are working in. Based on a person’s biological data and the ocean tem
