If you find yourself panicking, tell yourself to relax and breathe deeply. Think before you act. Don’t just run to the first life boat, or jump into the water at the first sight of danger. Consider all your options.
Life preservers. Solid life boats. Inflatable rafts. [1] X Research source
Use the breaststroke to swim away from the boat. Kick strongly with your legs. If you don’t know how to swim very well, stay calm, tread water, and slowly paddle away from the sinking ship.
A door. Pieces of the boat that are still floating. Spare lifeboats or life preservers that aren’t being used.
You’re bleeding. If so, and the wound is bad, you may need to use a tourniquet to stop loss of blood. This is important, as blood loss could fasten the pace at which hypothermia sets in. You have a broken limb. A broken limb could seriously inhibit your ability to swim. If you have one, you’ll need to immediately ask for the assistance of another survivor.
Assist others who may be in shock. Talk to them, tell them things will be okay, and let them know you are there to help them. Treat people who have concussions.
Stay together. Your chances of surviving and being rescued are a lot higher if your group is organized and stays together.
Your personal locator beacon (PLB). Marine radio or whistle. Flares or anything you have to signal for help.
Fresh water. Store and ration your fresh water as well as you can. Food. Signal flares and other items you could signal rescuers with.
If you’re in the water with a flotation device and not on a raft, hug your knees to your chest. This will help maintain body warmth. If you’re with others in the water or in a raft, stay close together, and hug each other. Keep your clothes on. Even if they’re soaked, they’ll help maintain your body temperature. [6] X Research source
Avoid splashing around. This will minimize the attention that you draw to yourself and your group. If someone has an open wound, do your best to stop the bleeding. Blood will draw fish and sharks from great distances. [7] X Research source
Estimate your position based on your last known position. You can do this using charts, maps, or the stars. Look for signs of land like the presence of birds, driftwood, or trash. If you see birds, look at the direction they come from and fly toward. Try to visually spot land on the horizon. Depending on you distance, it could be hard to spot, but you should try. [8] X Research source
Never drink salt water. It will dehydrate you. Instead, turn salt water into drinking water.
Shooting a flare gun. Depending on how many flares you have, you may want to save these for when you see a boat or aircraft passing in the distance. A mirror. Use a mirror to reflect the sun toward a possible search craft. A fire. If you’re on land, light a fire to gain the attention of rescuers. Building a sign or some other sort of structure on a beach. For instance, create a “SOS” sign with coconuts or driftwood. [10] X Research source
