when would search for a body lost at sea be officially announced as ended

Laurie Champion · Sep 29, 2007

hi all

thanks to all who have helped me with a similar topic. I am now needing to know if a body is lost sea, when would the search be officially ended by the coast guard?

Tsu Dho Nimh · Sep 29, 2007

When they decide to ... when they have no reason to believe that they can find the person alive, and they have made a reasonable search for the body. Reasonable is based on where the person went overboard, how tightly they can pinpoint the location of the going overboard, and what's going on in the area's currents and weather.

If they have a really good idea whereyou went over, because it was witnessed, they are more likely to search than if you go over "somewhere between Miami and Barbados". If you are washed overboard during a storm they won't search until they can safely do so.

waylander · Sep 29, 2007

Water temperature would play a part in the decision. As in "no-one is going to survive more than an hour in water of that temperature"

GeorgeK · Oct 2, 2007

and who the victim is...They'd give up on most of us long before they'd give up on someone famous

Hillary · Oct 2, 2007

All of these answers are correct. The duration of a rescue mission depends on the body of water, circumstances that got the person in the water, weather, if the person had a life jacket, etc.

However, these answers seem to revolve around finding someone alive... And yes, efforts to find someone alive will end fairly quickly no matter the circumstances, but then it will switch from a rescue mission to a recovery mission. So the search for a body can last quite a while. They'll dredge lakes and rivers and such looking for a body for some time.

Laurie Champion · Oct 2, 2007

thanks

thanks so much for you help, you guys.

Poohcat · Oct 28, 2007

If you want to know the official line. Why don't you email the SAR co-ordinator at the nearest Coast Guard station they will tell. After all it is not a State Secret

when would search for a body lost at sea be officially announced as ended

Laurie Champion

Tsu Dho Nimh

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

GeorgeK

ever seeking

Hillary

Neural Trailblazer

Laurie Champion

Poohcat