Question: I recently read a social media post about a rescue at sea that was successfully performed by a boat owner who was in the vicinity of the boat in trouble. The post said nothing about the legal requirements of a recreational boater to render assistance to a vessel in...
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2 Responses
Fascinating. I’ve always been curious about when a vessel employs armed private security. What kind of liability does that open the captain up to? I believe in many circumstances liability ultimately falls on the captain like if the ship runs aground, there is a collision, or there is a spill of some kind?
Does the same apply if say the security personnel get jump and shoot up a yacht?
David-
Always enjoy reading your columns. You mention “you must render assistance to a vessel in distress”, but is there a difference between property (a vessel) and human life/safety? What happens if I, as the operator of a vessel assisting/rescuing a vessel in distress, believe that my own capabilities as a captain or those of my own owned vessel rendering aid are not capable of “rendering assistance to a vessel…”? I would always of course focus on passengers and crew of a vessel in trouble, but having to render aid to property (the vessel in distress) seems a little too far of burden, and could expose me to danger/harm to my own vessel and crew. Thanks again and look forward to your response.