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1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 92 (from laksa185)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa092.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship","crawl_time":1775104638,"first_indexed_time":1507200575,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,wikihow!www,\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship s443","src_root_hash":"12431216878206919092","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"How to Escape a Sinking Ship: 14 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow","meta_descriptions":["The odds of you being trapped on a sinking ship are extremely low thanks to today's advances in safety and technology. However, there are still occasional disasters such as with car and passenger ferries. Some of these accidents can occur..."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Download Article\nDownload Article\nLearning the Basics: Before Setting Sail\n|\nEvacuating, if Sinking is Imminent\n|\nQ&A\n|\nTips\n|\nWarnings\n|\nThings You'll Need\nThe odds of you being trapped on a sinking ship are extremely low thanks to today's advances in safety and technology. However, there are still occasional disasters such as with car and passenger ferries. Some of these accidents can occur when you're traveling in a country whose safety standards have been less stringently applied. If you should ever find yourself in this life-threatening situation, here are some suggestions to help improve your odds of survival, just in case.\nWhile this is mainly for the sake of curiosity, understanding how a ship sinks can be useful and give you a sense of what occurs if you're ever stuck in the situation of being on a sinking ship. Every type of ship will react to taking on water and sinking differently depending on the shape of the hull, center of gravity, and cause of the casualty. No one set of rules works on all ship types.\nWater often enters the lowest point of a ship first, the bilge area.\n[1]\nThe bilges are pits in the lowest part of the engineering section. It's very normal for ships to have water leaking into the bilges. It comes in through sea chests, shaft bearings, or valve seals. Ships have bilge pumps to remove this water once it reaches a certain level. They are in the bilges to attack any eventual flooding as early as possible at the lowest possible level. However, this is not always a viable solution. Ships can sink from hitting another ship, an object such as an iceberg, a ruptured sea chest, or an attack. In the case of the Greek cruise liner\nMTS Oceanos\nthe water entered through a ruptured overboard sewage discharge valve far from the bilges and erupted into the ship through commodes, sinks, and showers. There was no way the pumps could have helped. The\nTitanic\nhad seams popped and split starting about 50 feet (15.2 m) from the starboard bow and flooded 6 compartments. The rest is history. There was just too much water for the pumps to discharge. The\nLusitania\nwas torpedoed and exploded twice. Both the\nMS Sea Diamond\nand the\nCosta Concordia\nran aground and partially sank after hitting well marked reefs while sailing in good weather. There are many other famous examples.\nSmall boats will react differently than bigger ships. They are normally built, as much as possible, of buoyant materials. Reasons for why a boat might sink include a low transom, missing drain plugs, cooling system leaks, or openings either incorrectly closed or broken doors (such as on a car\nferry\n).\n[2]\nThe broken doors are what sank the car ferry\nEstonia\n.\nThe stability of a ship depends, in part, on its center of gravity. In the case of the\nEstonia\nthe car ferry took on water through a broken door. In that event, the rocking slowed down, which is a bad sign because a ferry that isn't rocking cannot stabilize itself.\n[3]\nWith Trans-Oceanic ships the configuration is different. According to researcher Steve Zalek of the University of Michigan Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Department, Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory, studies done demonstrate that if the center of gravity is low the ship will rock quickly. Passengers will become seasick, cargo can break loose, and containers can be pitched into the sea, but if the center of gravity is higher the ship will rock more slowly. Passengers will be more comfortable, cargo won't break loose, and containers aren't pitched overboard. Rocking too much could cause a ship to keel over in heavy seas. The idea is that the ship would heel over to no more than 10° either way in order when the wheel is thrown hard over to maintain stability.\nAdvertisement\nEnsure you do this as soon as you have boarded any sea vessel. Whether you're going on a short trip across the harbor, a day trip, or a cruise, knowing the location of the personal flotation device in advance may save your life.\nWhen going on a cruise, part of the standard safety drill at the beginning will include asking you to check that your PFD is in the cabin space. Be sure to check for infant or child PFDs if also needed and alert crew immediately if these are not in place. In addition, look for the lifeboats nearest to your cabin, along with any obvious markers that might lead you to the boats if visibility becomes bad; as with aircraft, there will often be lights designating where safety exits are.\nRead the instructions for putting on the personal flotation device and using it. If you have any questions, ask the ship's crew.\nIf you're traveling on a ship where the crew speaks a different language from your own, find people who can advise you directly on what to do in the event of an emergency. It is prudent to seek this information even before you board the ship.\nAlthough philosophical in nature, the question is: What will you do if push came to shove? Would you expect to see women and children off first, then men? Or is it everyone for themselves? This actually depends upon the laws of what national waters the ship is in first, and the flag registry or nation of ownership second. Women and children boarded lifeboats from the\nTitanic\nbecause she was in international waters, and flagged in England, whose laws demanded such action- and they had time to board lifeboats. However,\nLusitania\nsank in 18 minutes, giving no one time to board life boats.\nAdvertisement\nThis is standard – 7 short horn blasts followed by one long one.\n[4]\nThe captain or other crew members may also use the intercom system to speak to all other crew and passengers.\nBe as prepared to exit the ship as time allows. If you have time to grab any additional survival items, do so. But only if doing so won't endanger your life or the lives of others.\nIf you have time, put on all your waterproof gear, such as headgear, jacket, and gloves.\n[5]\nIf there is an emergency survival suit available and time permits, put it on. Note that while survival suits increase your chances of surviving in cold water, they are unlikely to be provided on passenger ships. For crew who have access to such suits, they will usually be required to practice putting on this suit within 2 minutes.\nAttend to all infants, children, and pets after you've prepared yourself.\nOn a cruise ship, your life jacket is usually located in a cupboard near the entryway of your stateroom. Head straight to your stateroom, grab your life vest, take a small travel bag, put on something warm and comfortable, and only grab essential foods and medications. Then go straight to your designated muster station by following the emergency exit signs.\nThis may be the most important step of all. If you don't know how to get to safety, the captain or one of the crew members will tell you how. Ship's crews are highly trained in rescue operations on many ships and will have a better understanding than you about what needs to be done to ensure your safety. You should only attempt to escape on your own if there is no authority present to give proper directions. A well-run ship will have a \"muster station\" where everyone needs to gather in preparation for evacuation. If you received a safety drill in going to a muster station, try to comply with it.\nIf you can't hear or understand the directions (for example, it's not your language), keep one thing in mind - head up and off the ship. Heading to the center or inner levels of the boat is not wise but don't be surprised if people do this as a result of\npanic\n.\nIf the captain assigns you with tasks, speak up if you don't feel you can comply. Otherwise, do your best to help out.\nStay calm\nand don't panic.\nIt may sound like an inevitable cliché, but the more you panic, the longer it will take to get to a lifeboat. Studies have shown that only about 15 percent of people manage not to panic, with a whopping 70 percent suffering from impaired reasoning and 15 percent becoming irrational.\n[6]\nThus, staying calm is important for dealing with other passengers as well as helping to keep your own mind focused to do whatever you can to survive. If others around you are panicking, try as best you can to calm them down, as their actions will only slow down and possibly endanger your evacuation. Unfortunately, panic on a cruise is something that can endanger everyone owing to the number of people involved and this can lead people to push and shove one another, causing injuries before people have even left the ship.\n[7]\nBe aware that the opposite spectrum of panic can kick in – that of being stunned and unable to respond at all.\n[8]\nIf you see someone frozen with fear,\nyell\nat them. This is what flight attendants are trained to do to get passengers to leave a burning plane, and can be adapted to a boat situation.\nTry to focus on keeping your\nbreathing\nunder control. If you're used to breathing for yoga, pilates, or any similar relaxation breathing techniques, use these to calm you, as well as resorting to breathing this way if you end up in the water trying to survive.\n[9]\nGetting out fast is more important than getting out by going the shortest way which might even lead you to more danger. As the ship begins to tilt, grab whatever you can to help you remain upright and able to reach your destination, such as handrails, pipes, hooks, light fittings, etc.\nDo not take the elevator. Just as you should avoid elevators when escaping a fire, the same applies here; all electrically driven items are suspect. The last place you'll want to be on a sinking ship is\nstranded in an elevator\n. In most cases, there will be no electricity on the ship, and the ship's list angle will be too great for an elevator to properly function.\nWhile still in the inner deck areas, watch for catapulting or floating objects coming your way. Large items hitting you can knock you unconscious or kill you.\nShips are equipped with emergency strip lighting that make it clear which way is the exit in the event of a fire. If the lighting changes color such as from green to red or direction such as straight to left, then this marks the exit route.\nFrom there, head to your emergency station or the nearest lifeboat available. Most of today's cruise liners run safety drills and procedures prior to departing on voyages so that passengers know where to go in the event of an emergency. If not, head to where it seems that the crew are assisting passengers to escape. Crew will usually be the last to abandon ship, as it is their duty to get everyone else off the ship to possible safety first.\nDon't play the hero by staying back while crew is on board. Do what needs to be done to ensure that survival of yourself and your loved ones is not compromised. This isn't the movies.\nThe very best scenario is to enter a lifeboat\nwithout getting wet\n. The moment you're wet, you risk getting hypothermia or suffering from cold shock (see below). If lifeboats are already deployed, head for the best place to enter or jump into them, following instructions of crew if relevant.\nIf there are no lifeboats available, try to find a life preserver ring or similar flotation device and toss it into the water. Any flotation device is better than none, although your survival chances decrease dramatically once you're forced to spend time in the water.\nYou may need to\njump off the ship\n, or in some cases, simply step off an incline. If there is a lifeboat nearby,\nswim\nto it, wave your arms, and shout to attract attention.\nIf jumping, always look first. There may be people, boats, fires, propellers, etc., in the water below that you could hit or be submerged in. The ideal scenario is getting straight into a lifeboat.  If not, the next best scenario is to jump as close to a rescue boat as possible and make your way into it immediately.\nFollow directions, and wait for the rescue. Waiting alone in the open ocean without the comfort of a large ship will undoubtedly be frightening, but\nbe patient\n. Help is on the way.\nIn a lifeboat, use rations sparingly. Use flares only when it is clear that doing so will result in a rescuer seeing you. Huddle together to keep warm. Arrange lookout watches. Collect rainwater and don't drink seawater or urine. Treat any injuries as best you can.\n[10]\nStay determined. Stories of survivors at sea are a testament that it is the most determined who survive harsh waiting conditions leading up to rescue.\nIf you couldn't find a lifeboat, look for the next best things, such as a life raft, or bobbing objects from the ship (flotsam) that remain afloat.\nIf you don't end up in a lifeboat either straight away or fairly quickly, your survival odds worsen a great deal. The sea is cold and if it's rough, even the strongest swimmers will have a hard time defeating the cold and the sea swells. Inadequate amounts of lifeboats or lost lifeboats mean that there can be more people than space, causing more panic and even endangering the remaining lifeboats as people desperately cling to them or clamber on.\nBeing in cold water will cause\nhypothermia\n. Hypothermia will cause you to want to sleep. If you fall asleep or fall unconscious, you risk\ndrowning\n.\nCold shock is the kind of shock that comes from hitting cold water and being unable to control your breathing while your heart rate and blood pressure go up, immediately incapacitating you.\n[11]\nCold shock can cause you to take an involuntary breath, which will often cause you to take in water.\n[12]\nWhile those who are used to entering cold water can tolerate this for initial few minutes required to regain your senses, many people are not able to do so and drown. This cold shock phenomenon occurs\nbefore\nhypothermia sets in.\nShock may set in, causing everything to become surreal and to prevent you from doing your best to survive. If shock doesn't set in, mental distress is a highly likely possibility, with nothing but water everywhere, right to the horizon, and not knowing when rescue will arrive. Try to prevent this by focusing on surviving, using mind games, counting, thinking about other people's needs, etc.\nYour hands and fingers will become numb very quickly, making even doing up a lifejacket difficult, if not impossible.\nEven in good weather, heatstroke, sunburn, and dehydration soon become an issue. Try to cover yourself up as best you can and ration water supplies carefully.\nIf you do survive, be ready for the reality that some of the people on the lifeboat with you may not. Seek counseling for\npost-traumatic stress disorder\nif needed.\nAdvertisement\nSearch\nAdd New Question\nQuestion\nIf the only thing left to do is jump from the sinking boat, which part is the best to jump from?\nCommunity Answer\nJump from the part that is nearest the water so your fall is not as dangerous. If possible, ease into the water to avoid injuries.\nQuestion\nWhat should I do if there are animals such as sharks in the water? Should I still jump into a lifeboat?\nCommunity Answer\nOkay, so weigh it up -- would you like to sink with the ship or have a chance of surviving in a lifeboat? Given that sharks aren't very attracted to human beings in a lifeboat, attempting to save yourself in the lifeboat is infinitely more preferable.\nQuestion\nHow do I escape a sinking ship with thousands of other passengers and no life jacket?\nCommunity Answer\nTry to get hold of a floating object. Make your way to a life boat if possible.\nSee more answers\nAsk a Question\n200 characters left\nInclude your email address to get a message when this question is answered.\nSubmit\nAdvertisement\nIf you're a constant sea traveler for work or pleasure, consider preparing an \"abandon ship\" bag (also known as a \"ditch bag\", or a \"flee bag\").\n[13]\nWhile not cheap, having such a bag could increase your chances of survival. Make sure it's waterproof and has a wrist attachment. Include such things as water, food, flashlight, etc. It should be able to float when fully packed, and should also be waterproof.\nThanks\nThe following table details your survival time in water:\n[14]\nThanks\nRats can't tell the future; they abandon ship out of fear simply because they happen to be living where the water first starts filling the ship.\n[15]\nNevertheless, if the rats are jumping, it's a sign the boat's taking on water!\nThanks\nShow More Tips\nWater Temperature\nExhaustion or Unconsciousness\nExpected Survival Time\n70–80° F (21–27° C)\n3–12 hours\n3 hours – indefinitely\n‘60–70° F (16–21° C)\n2–7 hours\n2–40 hours\n50–60° F (10–16° C)\n1–2 hours\n1–6 hours\n40–50° F (4–10° C)\n30–60 minutes\n1–3 hours\n32.5–40° F (0–4° C)\n15–30 minutes\n30–90 minutes\n<32° F (<0° C)\nUnder 15 minutes\nUnder 15–45 minutes\nShow More Tips\nTips from our Readers\nMake sure to know the Morse code for SOS: three dots, three longer dashes, then three dots.\nThanks for submitting a tip for review!\nAdvertisement\nShark attacks in the open sea are rare; the only reason shark attacks make media headlines is because they are so rare. If sharks are circling or bumping your lifeboat, avoid panicking as it's very unlikely that it's more than curiosity.\nThanks\nAlways attend to readying yourself before helping children. The rationale is that if you're appropriately dressed and able to float, etc., you'll have more strength to assist children in need of help. Older children can help younger children, especially if you remain calm and give orders methodically as part of a team effort to prepare for the escape.\nThanks\nAdvertisement\nThings You'll Need\nPersonal flotation device\nAbandon ship bag\nLifeboat or life raft\nReferences\n↑\nCharles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship,\nhttp:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship1.htm\n↑\nCharles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship,\nhttp:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship1.htm\n↑\nPBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship,\nhttp:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/transcripts\/2607ship.html\n↑\nCharles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship,\nhttp:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship3.htm\n↑\nBoat Safe, Procedure for Abandoning Ship,\nhttp:\/\/www.boatsafe.com\/nauticalknowhow\/abandonship.htm\n↑\nCharles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship,\nhttp:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship3.htm\n↑\nCharles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship,\nhttp:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship3.htm\n↑\nPBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship,\nhttp:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/transcripts\/2607ship.html\n↑\nPBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship,\nhttp:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/transcripts\/2607ship.html\n↑\nBoat Safe, Procedure for Abandoning Ship,\nhttp:\/\/www.boatsafe.com\/nauticalknowhow\/abandonship.htm\n↑\nPBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship,\nhttp:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/transcripts\/2607ship.html\n↑\nhttp:\/\/www.ussartf.org\/cold_water_survival.htm\n↑\nDoug Ritter, Abandon Ship Bag,\nhttp:\/\/www.boatsafe.com\/nauticalknowhow\/abandon_ship.htm\n↑\nhttp:\/\/www.ussartf.org\/cold_water_survival.htm\n↑\nCharles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship,\nhttp:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship4.htm\n↑\nDavid Borgenicht and Trey Popp,\nThe Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors\n, p. 191, (2007), ISBN 10-0-8118-5827-8\n↑\nDavid Borgenicht and Trey Popp,\nThe Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors\n, p. 195, (2007), ISBN 10-0-8118-5827-8\nAbout This Article\nArticle Summary\nX\nLearning how to escape a sinking ship can save you in case of a water disaster. When you first get on a boat, you should check the location of life-jackets and life-boats, so you know where to go in case of an emergency. If you learn your ship is sinking, follow the instructions of the captain and crew and stay as calm as possible. Water will enter the bottom of the ship first, so make your way to the deck. Then, find a lifejacket and a lifeboat. If there aren’t lifeboats, find something that floats, like a reserver ring. If you need to jump off the boat, make sure there aren’t any propellers below you that could suck you in.\nTo learn how to avoid hypothermia in the water, read on.\nDid this summary help you?\nThanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 368,672 times.\nReader Success Stories\nSimran Merbay\nMar 6, 2017\n\"I was doing my homework about the Titanic and the teacher told us to do steps to escape a sinking ship. 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Learn why people **trust wikiHow**](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/wikiHow:Delivering-a-Trustworthy-Experience)\n\n- [Categories](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Special:CategoryListing \"Special:CategoryListing\")\n- [Sports and Fitness](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Category:Sports-and-Fitness \"Category:Sports and Fitness\")\n- [Outdoor Recreation](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Category:Outdoor-Recreation \"Category:Outdoor Recreation\")\n- [Outdoor Safety](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Category:Outdoor-Safety \"Category:Outdoor Safety\")\n# [How to Escape a Sinking Ship](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n[![PDF download](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/extensions\/wikihow\/socialstamp\/images\/icon-pdf.svg) Download Article](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n**Reviewed by** [Ky Furneaux](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Author\/Ky-Furneaux)\n\n[Last Updated: April 20, 2025](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)  [Approved](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n[![PDF download](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/extensions\/wikihow\/socialstamp\/images\/icon-pdf.svg) Download Article](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n- [Learning the Basics: Before Setting Sail](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#Learning-the-Basics:-Before-Setting-Sail)\n- [Evacuating, if Sinking is Imminent](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#Evacuating.2C-if-Sinking-is-Imminent)\n- [Q\\&A](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#qa_headline)\n- [Tips](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#tips)\n- [Warnings](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#warnings)\n- [Things You'll Need](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#thingsyoullneed)\n\n\\|Show more\n\n\\|Show less\n\nX\n\nThis article was reviewed by [Ky Furneaux](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Author\/Ky-Furneaux). Ky Furneaux is a survival expert, outdoor guide, and professional stuntwoman based in Australia. She’s been featured in over 100 films and TV productions, and has hosted, produced, and participated in some of the most extreme TV survival shows including MTV’s Made and Discovery’s Naked and Afraid. She has authored 5 survival books, including \"The Superwoman’s Survival Guide\" and \"Survive: The All-In-One Guide to Staying Alive in Extreme Conditions\", with the goal of sharing her knowledge of survival techniques with others. As an accomplished stuntwoman, she won a Taurus Award in 2012 for Best Female Stunt Performer and has doubled stars like Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Jaime Alexander, and Sharon Stone.   \n  \n There are [9 references](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#References) cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.   \n  \n wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 83% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.   \n  \n This article has been viewed 368,672 times.\n\nThe odds of you being trapped on a sinking ship are extremely low thanks to today's advances in safety and technology. However, there are still occasional disasters such as with car and passenger ferries. Some of these accidents can occur when you're traveling in a country whose safety standards have been less stringently applied. If you should ever find yourself in this life-threatening situation, here are some suggestions to help improve your odds of survival, just in case.\n## Steps\nPart 1\n\nPart 1 of 2:\n\n### Learning the Basics: Before Setting Sail\n\n[![PDF download](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/extensions\/wikihow\/socialstamp\/images\/icon-pdf.svg) Download Article](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n1. [![Step 1 Understand the mechanics behind a sinking ship.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f6\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-1.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-1.jpg)\n   1\n   **Understand the mechanics behind a sinking ship.** While this is mainly for the sake of curiosity, understanding how a ship sinks can be useful and give you a sense of what occurs if you're ever stuck in the situation of being on a sinking ship. Every type of ship will react to taking on water and sinking differently depending on the shape of the hull, center of gravity, and cause of the casualty. No one set of rules works on all ship types.\n   \n   - Water often enters the lowest point of a ship first, the bilge area.[\\[1\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-1) X Research source     The bilges are pits in the lowest part of the engineering section. It's very normal for ships to have water leaking into the bilges. It comes in through sea chests, shaft bearings, or valve seals. Ships have bilge pumps to remove this water once it reaches a certain level. They are in the bilges to attack any eventual flooding as early as possible at the lowest possible level. However, this is not always a viable solution. Ships can sink from hitting another ship, an object such as an iceberg, a ruptured sea chest, or an attack. In the case of the Greek cruise liner *MTS Oceanos* the water entered through a ruptured overboard sewage discharge valve far from the bilges and erupted into the ship through commodes, sinks, and showers. There was no way the pumps could have helped. The *Titanic* had seams popped and split starting about 50 feet (15.2 m) from the starboard bow and flooded 6 compartments. The rest is history. There was just too much water for the pumps to discharge. The *Lusitania* was torpedoed and exploded twice. Both the *MS Sea Diamond* and the *Costa Concordia* ran aground and partially sank after hitting well marked reefs while sailing in good weather. There are many other famous examples.\n   - Small boats will react differently than bigger ships. They are normally built, as much as possible, of buoyant materials. Reasons for why a boat might sink include a low transom, missing drain plugs, cooling system leaks, or openings either incorrectly closed or broken doors (such as on a car [ferry](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Drive-Your-Car-on-to-a-Ferry \"Drive Your Car on to a Ferry\")).[\\[2\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-2) X Research source     The broken doors are what sank the car ferry *Estonia*.\n2. [![Step 2 Learn how the Estonia sank.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5e\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-2.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-2.jpg)\n   2\n   **Learn how the Estonia sank.** The stability of a ship depends, in part, on its center of gravity. In the case of the *Estonia* the car ferry took on water through a broken door. In that event, the rocking slowed down, which is a bad sign because a ferry that isn't rocking cannot stabilize itself.[\\[3\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-3) X Research source     With Trans-Oceanic ships the configuration is different. According to researcher Steve Zalek of the University of Michigan Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Department, Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory, studies done demonstrate that if the center of gravity is low the ship will rock quickly. Passengers will become seasick, cargo can break loose, and containers can be pitched into the sea, but if the center of gravity is higher the ship will rock more slowly. Passengers will be more comfortable, cargo won't break loose, and containers aren't pitched overboard. Rocking too much could cause a ship to keel over in heavy seas. The idea is that the ship would heel over to no more than 10° either way in order when the wheel is thrown hard over to maintain stability.\n   Advertisement\n3. [![Step 3 Check for the location of personal flotation devices.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/0b\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-3.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-3.jpg)\n   3\n   **Check for the location of personal flotation devices.** Ensure you do this as soon as you have boarded any sea vessel. Whether you're going on a short trip across the harbor, a day trip, or a cruise, knowing the location of the personal flotation device in advance may save your life.\n   \n   - When going on a cruise, part of the standard safety drill at the beginning will include asking you to check that your PFD is in the cabin space. Be sure to check for infant or child PFDs if also needed and alert crew immediately if these are not in place. In addition, look for the lifeboats nearest to your cabin, along with any obvious markers that might lead you to the boats if visibility becomes bad; as with aircraft, there will often be lights designating where safety exits are.\n   - Read the instructions for putting on the personal flotation device and using it. If you have any questions, ask the ship's crew.\n   - If you're traveling on a ship where the crew speaks a different language from your own, find people who can advise you directly on what to do in the event of an emergency. It is prudent to seek this information even before you board the ship.\n4. [![Step 4 Think about your sense of etiquette.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d9\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-4.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-4.jpg)\n   4\n   **Think about your sense of etiquette.** Although philosophical in nature, the question is: What will you do if push came to shove? Would you expect to see women and children off first, then men? Or is it everyone for themselves? This actually depends upon the laws of what national waters the ship is in first, and the flag registry or nation of ownership second. Women and children boarded lifeboats from the *Titanic* because she was in international waters, and flagged in England, whose laws demanded such action- and they had time to board lifeboats. However, *Lusitania* sank in 18 minutes, giving no one time to board life boats.\n\nPart 2\n\nPart 2 of 2:\n\n### Evacuating, if Sinking is Imminent\n\n[![PDF download](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/extensions\/wikihow\/socialstamp\/images\/icon-pdf.svg) Download Article](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n1. [![Step 1 Send out a Mayday if you're in charge of the sinking ship.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/1c\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-5.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-5.jpg)\n   1\n   **Send out a Mayday if you're in charge of the sinking ship.** Read [How to call Mayday from a marine vessel](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Call-Mayday-from-a-Marine-Vessel \"Call Mayday from a Marine Vessel\") to learn how to do this.\n2. [![Step 2 Listen for the evacuation signal.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/bd\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-6.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-6.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-6.jpg)\n   2\n   **Listen for the evacuation signal.** This is standard – 7 short horn blasts followed by one long one.[\\[4\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-4) X Research source     The captain or other crew members may also use the intercom system to speak to all other crew and passengers.\n3. [![Step 3 Put on your personal flotation device (PFD).](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/70\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-7.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-7.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-7.jpg)\n   3\n   **Put on your personal flotation device (PFD).** Be as prepared to exit the ship as time allows. If you have time to grab any additional survival items, do so. But only if doing so won't endanger your life or the lives of others.\n   \n   - If you have time, put on all your waterproof gear, such as headgear, jacket, and gloves.[\\[5\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-5) X Research source     If there is an emergency survival suit available and time permits, put it on. Note that while survival suits increase your chances of surviving in cold water, they are unlikely to be provided on passenger ships. For crew who have access to such suits, they will usually be required to practice putting on this suit within 2 minutes.\n   - Attend to all infants, children, and pets after you've prepared yourself.\n   - On a cruise ship, your life jacket is usually located in a cupboard near the entryway of your stateroom. Head straight to your stateroom, grab your life vest, take a small travel bag, put on something warm and comfortable, and only grab essential foods and medications. Then go straight to your designated muster station by following the emergency exit signs.\n4. [![Step 4 Follow directions.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b7\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-8.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-8.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-8.jpg)\n   4\n   **Follow directions.** This may be the most important step of all. If you don't know how to get to safety, the captain or one of the crew members will tell you how. Ship's crews are highly trained in rescue operations on many ships and will have a better understanding than you about what needs to be done to ensure your safety. You should only attempt to escape on your own if there is no authority present to give proper directions. A well-run ship will have a \"muster station\" where everyone needs to gather in preparation for evacuation. If you received a safety drill in going to a muster station, try to comply with it.\n   \n   - If you can't hear or understand the directions (for example, it's not your language), keep one thing in mind - head up and off the ship. Heading to the center or inner levels of the boat is not wise but don't be surprised if people do this as a result of [panic](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Panic-Attacks \"Stop Panic Attacks\").\n   - If the captain assigns you with tasks, speak up if you don't feel you can comply. Otherwise, do your best to help out.\n5. [![Step 5 Stay calm...](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/76\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-9.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-9.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-9.jpg)\n   5\n   [**Stay calm**](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Calm-in-a-Stressful-Situation \"Be Calm in a Stressful Situation\") **and don't panic.** It may sound like an inevitable cliché, but the more you panic, the longer it will take to get to a lifeboat. Studies have shown that only about 15 percent of people manage not to panic, with a whopping 70 percent suffering from impaired reasoning and 15 percent becoming irrational.[\\[6\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-6) X Research source     Thus, staying calm is important for dealing with other passengers as well as helping to keep your own mind focused to do whatever you can to survive. If others around you are panicking, try as best you can to calm them down, as their actions will only slow down and possibly endanger your evacuation. Unfortunately, panic on a cruise is something that can endanger everyone owing to the number of people involved and this can lead people to push and shove one another, causing injuries before people have even left the ship.[\\[7\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-7) X Research source\n   \n   - Be aware that the opposite spectrum of panic can kick in – that of being stunned and unable to respond at all.[\\[8\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-8) X Research source\n   - If you see someone frozen with fear, **yell** at them. This is what flight attendants are trained to do to get passengers to leave a burning plane, and can be adapted to a boat situation.\n   - Try to focus on keeping your [breathing](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Breathe-Deeply \"Breathe Deeply\") under control. If you're used to breathing for yoga, pilates, or any similar relaxation breathing techniques, use these to calm you, as well as resorting to breathing this way if you end up in the water trying to survive.[\\[9\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-9) X Research source\n6. [![Step 6 Focus on escaping via the quickest route, not the shortest route.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d2\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-10.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-10.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-10.jpg)\n   6\n   **Focus on escaping via the quickest route, not the shortest route.** Getting out fast is more important than getting out by going the shortest way which might even lead you to more danger. As the ship begins to tilt, grab whatever you can to help you remain upright and able to reach your destination, such as handrails, pipes, hooks, light fittings, etc.\n   \n   - Do not take the elevator. Just as you should avoid elevators when escaping a fire, the same applies here; all electrically driven items are suspect. The last place you'll want to be on a sinking ship is [stranded in an elevator](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Stranded-Elevator \"Escape a Stranded Elevator\"). In most cases, there will be no electricity on the ship, and the ship's list angle will be too great for an elevator to properly function.\n   - While still in the inner deck areas, watch for catapulting or floating objects coming your way. Large items hitting you can knock you unconscious or kill you.\n   - Ships are equipped with emergency strip lighting that make it clear which way is the exit in the event of a fire. If the lighting changes color such as from green to red or direction such as straight to left, then this marks the exit route.\n7. [![Step 7 Make your way to the deck.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cf\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-11.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-11.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-11.jpg)\n   7\n   **Make your way to the deck.** From there, head to your emergency station or the nearest lifeboat available. Most of today's cruise liners run safety drills and procedures prior to departing on voyages so that passengers know where to go in the event of an emergency. If not, head to where it seems that the crew are assisting passengers to escape. Crew will usually be the last to abandon ship, as it is their duty to get everyone else off the ship to possible safety first.\n   \n   - Don't play the hero by staying back while crew is on board. Do what needs to be done to ensure that survival of yourself and your loved ones is not compromised. This isn't the movies.\n8. [![Step 8 Find a lifeboat.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/97\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-12.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-12.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-12.jpg)\n   8\n   **Find a **lifeboat**.** The very best scenario is to enter a lifeboat *without getting wet*. The moment you're wet, you risk getting hypothermia or suffering from cold shock (see below). If lifeboats are already deployed, head for the best place to enter or jump into them, following instructions of crew if relevant.\n   \n   - If there are no lifeboats available, try to find a life preserver ring or similar flotation device and toss it into the water. Any flotation device is better than none, although your survival chances decrease dramatically once you're forced to spend time in the water.\n   - You may need to [jump off the ship](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Survive-a-Long-Fall \"Survive a Long Fall\"), or in some cases, simply step off an incline. If there is a lifeboat nearby, [swim](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Swim \"Swim\") to it, wave your arms, and shout to attract attention.\n   - If jumping, always look first. There may be people, boats, fires, propellers, etc., in the water below that you could hit or be submerged in. The ideal scenario is getting straight into a lifeboat. If not, the next best scenario is to jump as close to a rescue boat as possible and make your way into it immediately.\n9. [![Step 9 Stay calm in the lifeboat.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a6\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-13.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-13.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-13.jpg)\n   9\n   **Stay calm in the lifeboat.** Follow directions, and wait for the rescue. Waiting alone in the open ocean without the comfort of a large ship will undoubtedly be frightening, but [be patient](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Patient \"Be Patient\"). Help is on the way.\n   \n   - In a lifeboat, use rations sparingly. Use flares only when it is clear that doing so will result in a rescuer seeing you. Huddle together to keep warm. Arrange lookout watches. Collect rainwater and don't drink seawater or urine. Treat any injuries as best you can.[\\[10\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-10) X Research source\n   - Stay determined. Stories of survivors at sea are a testament that it is the most determined who survive harsh waiting conditions leading up to rescue.\n   - If you couldn't find a lifeboat, look for the next best things, such as a life raft, or bobbing objects from the ship (flotsam) that remain afloat.\n10. [![Step 10 Expect some harsh realities.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/8f\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-14.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-14.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-14.jpg)\n    10\n    **Expect some harsh realities.** If you don't end up in a lifeboat either straight away or fairly quickly, your survival odds worsen a great deal. The sea is cold and if it's rough, even the strongest swimmers will have a hard time defeating the cold and the sea swells. Inadequate amounts of lifeboats or lost lifeboats mean that there can be more people than space, causing more panic and even endangering the remaining lifeboats as people desperately cling to them or clamber on.\n    \n    - Being in cold water will cause [hypothermia](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Treat-Hypothermia \"Treat Hypothermia\"). Hypothermia will cause you to want to sleep. If you fall asleep or fall unconscious, you risk [drowning](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Avoid-Drowning \"Avoid Drowning\").\n    - Cold shock is the kind of shock that comes from hitting cold water and being unable to control your breathing while your heart rate and blood pressure go up, immediately incapacitating you.[\\[11\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-11) X Research source     Cold shock can cause you to take an involuntary breath, which will often cause you to take in water.[\\[12\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-12) X Research source     While those who are used to entering cold water can tolerate this for initial few minutes required to regain your senses, many people are not able to do so and drown. This cold shock phenomenon occurs *before* hypothermia sets in.\n    - Shock may set in, causing everything to become surreal and to prevent you from doing your best to survive. If shock doesn't set in, mental distress is a highly likely possibility, with nothing but water everywhere, right to the horizon, and not knowing when rescue will arrive. Try to prevent this by focusing on surviving, using mind games, counting, thinking about other people's needs, etc.\n    - Your hands and fingers will become numb very quickly, making even doing up a lifejacket difficult, if not impossible.\n    - Even in good weather, heatstroke, sunburn, and dehydration soon become an issue. Try to cover yourself up as best you can and ration water supplies carefully.\n    - If you do survive, be ready for the reality that some of the people on the lifeboat with you may not. Seek counseling for [post-traumatic stress disorder](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Deal-With-Having-PTSD-\$Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder\$ \"Deal With Having PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)\") if needed.\n\n## Community Q\\&A\nSearch\n\n[Add New Question]()\n\n- Question\n  \n  If the only thing left to do is jump from the sinking boat, which part is the best to jump from?\n  \n  ![Community Answer](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f2\/CommunityAvatar3.png\/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar3.png)\n  \n  Community Answer\n  \n  Jump from the part that is nearest the water so your fall is not as dangerous. If possible, ease into the water to avoid injuries.\n  \n  **Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.**  \n   **Thank you for your feedback.**  \n    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even \\$1 helps us in our mission.  [Support wikiHow](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/wikiHow:Contribute)\n  \n  [Yes](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [No](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n  \n  [Not Helpful 7](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Helpful 52](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n- Question\n  \n  What should I do if there are animals such as sharks in the water? Should I still jump into a lifeboat?\n  \n  ![Community Answer](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b0\/CommunityAvatar2.png\/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar2.png)\n  \n  Community Answer\n  \n  Okay, so weigh it up -- would you like to sink with the ship or have a chance of surviving in a lifeboat? Given that sharks aren't very attracted to human beings in a lifeboat, attempting to save yourself in the lifeboat is infinitely more preferable.\n  \n  **Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.**  \n   **Thank you for your feedback.**  \n    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even \\$1 helps us in our mission.  [Support wikiHow](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/wikiHow:Contribute)\n  \n  [Yes](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [No](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n  \n  [Not Helpful 13](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Helpful 74](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n- Question\n  \n  How do I escape a sinking ship with thousands of other passengers and no life jacket?\n  \n  ![Community Answer](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f5\/CommunityAvatar4.png\/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar4.png)\n  \n  Community Answer\n  \n  Try to get hold of a floating object. Make your way to a life boat if possible.\n  \n  **Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.**  \n   **Thank you for your feedback.**  \n    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even \\$1 helps us in our mission.  [Support wikiHow](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/wikiHow:Contribute)\n  \n  [Yes](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [No](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n  \n  [Not Helpful 7](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Helpful 35](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n[See more answers](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Questions\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#offset=3)\n\nAsk a Question\n\n200 characters left\n\nInclude your email address to get a message when this question is answered.\n\n[Submit]()\n\nAdvertisement\n\n## Tips\n- If you're a constant sea traveler for work or pleasure, consider preparing an \"abandon ship\" bag (also known as a \"ditch bag\", or a \"flee bag\").[\\[13\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-13) X Research source     While not cheap, having such a bag could increase your chances of survival. Make sure it's waterproof and has a wrist attachment. Include such things as water, food, flashlight, etc. It should be able to float when fully packed, and should also be waterproof.\n  Thanks\n  \n  [Helpful 0](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)   [Not Helpful 0](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n- The following table details your survival time in water:[\\[14\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-14) X Research source\n  Thanks\n  \n  [Helpful 0](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)   [Not Helpful 0](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n- Rats can't tell the future; they abandon ship out of fear simply because they happen to be living where the water first starts filling the ship.[\\[15\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-15) X Research source     Nevertheless, if the rats are jumping, it's a sign the boat's taking on water\\!\n  Thanks\n  \n  [Helpful 0](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)   [Not Helpful 0](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n[Show More Tips](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n| **Water Temperature** | **Exhaustion or Unconsciousness** | **Expected Survival Time** |\n|---|---|---|\n| 70–80° F (21–27° C) | 3–12 hours | 3 hours – indefinitely |\n| ‘60–70° F (16–21° C) | 2–7 hours | 2–40 hours |\n| 50–60° F (10–16° C) | 1–2 hours | 1–6 hours |\n| 40–50° F (4–10° C) | 30–60 minutes | 1–3 hours |\n| 32\\.5–40° F (0–4° C) | 15–30 minutes | 30–90 minutes |\n| \\<32° F (\\<0° C) | Under 15 minutes | Under 15–45 minutes |\n\n[Show More Tips](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n#### Tips from our Readers ![](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/extensions\/wikihow\/tipsandwarnings\/images\/question.svg)\nThe advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.\n\n- Make sure to know the Morse code for SOS: three dots, three longer dashes, then three dots.\n\nSubmit a Tip\n\nAll tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published\n\nName\n\nPlease provide your name and last initial\n\n[Submit](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\nThanks for submitting a tip for review\\!\n\nAdvertisement\n\n## Warnings\n- Shark attacks in the open sea are rare; the only reason shark attacks make media headlines is because they are so rare. If sharks are circling or bumping your lifeboat, avoid panicking as it's very unlikely that it's more than curiosity.\n  Thanks\n  \n  [Helpful 6](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)   [Not Helpful 0](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n- Always attend to readying yourself before helping children. The rationale is that if you're appropriately dressed and able to float, etc., you'll have more strength to assist children in need of help. Older children can help younger children, especially if you remain calm and give orders methodically as part of a team effort to prepare for the escape.\n  Thanks\n  \n  [Helpful 7](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)   [Not Helpful 2](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\nAdvertisement\n\n## Things You'll Need\n- Personal flotation device\n- Abandon ship bag\n- Lifeboat or life raft\n\n## You Might Also Like\n[![Call Mayday from a Marine Vessel](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/fd\/Call-Mayday-from-a-Marine-Vessel-Step-12.jpg\/-crop-342-184-261px-Call-Mayday-from-a-Marine-Vessel-Step-12.jpg.webp) How to Call Mayday from a Marine Vessel ![](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/fd\/Call-Mayday-from-a-Marine-Vessel-Step-12.jpg\/-crop-342-184-261px-Call-Mayday-from-a-Marine-Vessel-Step-12.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Call-Mayday-from-a-Marine-Vessel)\n\n[![Float on Your Back](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/10\/Float-on-Your-Back-Step-16-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-342-184-245px-Float-on-Your-Back-Step-16-Version-2.jpg.webp) How to Float on Your Back ![](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/10\/Float-on-Your-Back-Step-16-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-342-184-245px-Float-on-Your-Back-Step-16-Version-2.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Float-on-Your-Back)\n\n[![Dog Paddle](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/91\/Dog-Paddle-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-342-184-245px-Dog-Paddle-Step-13.jpg.webp) How to Dog Paddle ![](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/91\/Dog-Paddle-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-342-184-245px-Dog-Paddle-Step-13.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Dog-Paddle)\n\n[![Tread Water](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Tread-Water-Step-12-Version-5.jpg\/-crop-342-184-327px-Tread-Water-Step-12-Version-5.jpg.webp) How to Tread Water Easily and Effortlessly 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![](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3c\/Swim-Step-13-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-342-184-245px-Swim-Step-13-Version-3.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Avoid-Drowning)\n\n[![Survive a Fast River Current](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a5\/Survive-a-Fast-River-Current-Step-11.jpg\/-crop-342-184-245px-Survive-a-Fast-River-Current-Step-11.jpg.webp) How to Survive a Fast River Current ![](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a5\/Survive-a-Fast-River-Current-Step-11.jpg\/-crop-342-184-245px-Survive-a-Fast-River-Current-Step-11.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Survive-a-Fast-River-Current)\n\n[![Evacuate a Building in an Emergency](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/02\/Evacuate-a-Building-in-an-Emergency-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-342-184-245px-Evacuate-a-Building-in-an-Emergency-Step-11-Version-2.jpg.webp)Evacuating a Building: Creating a Plan & Staying Safe in Emergencies ![](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/02\/Evacuate-a-Building-in-an-Emergency-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-342-184-245px-Evacuate-a-Building-in-an-Emergency-Step-11-Version-2.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Evacuate-a-Building-in-an-Emergency)\n\nAdvertisement\n\n## References\n1. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-1) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship1.htm>\n2. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-2) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship1.htm>\n3. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-3) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/transcripts\/2607ship.html>\n4. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-4) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship3.htm>\n5. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-5) Boat Safe, Procedure for Abandoning Ship, <http:\/\/www.boatsafe.com\/nauticalknowhow\/abandonship.htm>\n6. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-6) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship3.htm>\n7. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-7) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship3.htm>\n8. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-8) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/transcripts\/2607ship.html>\n9. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-9) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/transcripts\/2607ship.html>\n\n[More References (8)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#aiinfo)\n\n1. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-10) Boat Safe, Procedure for Abandoning Ship, <http:\/\/www.boatsafe.com\/nauticalknowhow\/abandonship.htm>\n2. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-11) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/transcripts\/2607ship.html>\n3. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-12) <http:\/\/www.ussartf.org\/cold_water_survival.htm>\n4. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-13) Doug Ritter, Abandon Ship Bag, <http:\/\/www.boatsafe.com\/nauticalknowhow\/abandon_ship.htm>\n5. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-14) <http:\/\/www.ussartf.org\/cold_water_survival.htm>\n6. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-15) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship4.htm>\n7. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-16) David Borgenicht and Trey Popp, *The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors*, p. 191, (2007), ISBN 10-0-8118-5827-8\n8. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-17) David Borgenicht and Trey Popp, *The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors*, p. 195, (2007), ISBN 10-0-8118-5827-8\n\n## About This Article\n![Ky Furneaux](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a4\/Ky_Furneaux_.png\/-crop-100-100-100px-Ky_Furneaux_.png)\n\nReviewed by:\n\n[Ky Furneaux](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Author\/Ky-Furneaux)\n\nSurvival and Outdoors Expert\n\nThis article was reviewed by [Ky Furneaux](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Author\/Ky-Furneaux). Ky Furneaux is a survival expert, outdoor guide, and professional stuntwoman based in Australia. She’s been featured in over 100 films and TV productions, and has hosted, produced, and participated in some of the most extreme TV survival shows including MTV’s Made and Discovery’s Naked and Afraid. She has authored 5 survival books, including \"The Superwoman’s Survival Guide\" and \"Survive: The All-In-One Guide to Staying Alive in Extreme Conditions\", with the goal of sharing her knowledge of survival techniques with others. As an accomplished stuntwoman, she won a Taurus Award in 2012 for Best Female Stunt Performer and has doubled stars like Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Jaime Alexander, and Sharon Stone. This article has been viewed 368,672 times.\n\n94 votes - 83%\n\nCo-authors: 55\n\nUpdated: April 20, 2025\n\nViews: 368,672\n\nCategories: [Featured Articles](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Category:Featured-Articles \"Category:Featured Articles\") \\| [Outdoor Safety](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Category:Outdoor-Safety \"Category:Outdoor Safety\")\n\n[Article SummaryX](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#summary_wrapper)\n\nLearning how to escape a sinking ship can save you in case of a water disaster. When you first get on a boat, you should check the location of life-jackets and life-boats, so you know where to go in case of an emergency. If you learn your ship is sinking, follow the instructions of the captain and crew and stay as calm as possible. Water will enter the bottom of the ship first, so make your way to the deck. Then, find a lifejacket and a lifeboat. If there aren’t lifeboats, find something that floats, like a reserver ring. If you need to jump off the boat, make sure there aren’t any propellers below you that could suck you in. To learn how to avoid hypothermia in the water, read on.\n\nDid this summary help you?\n\nYes\n\nNo\n\n[In other languages](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#other_languages)\n\n[Italian](https:\/\/www.wikihow.it\/Scappare-da-una-Nave-che-Affonda)\n\n[Spanish](https:\/\/es.wikihow.com\/escapar-de-un-barco-que-se-hunde)\n\n[Russian](https:\/\/ru.wikihow.com\/%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%8C-%D1%81-%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%83%D1%89%D0%B5%D0%B3%D0%BE-%D0%BA%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BB%D1%8F)\n\n[Japanese](https:\/\/www.wikihow.jp\/%E6%B2%88%E3%81%BF%E3%82%86%E3%81%8F%E8%88%B9%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E8%84%B1%E5%87%BA%E3%81%99%E3%82%8B)\n\n- [Print](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n- [Send fan mail to authors](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\nThanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 368,672 times.\n\n## Reader Success Stories\n- ![Simran Merbay](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f5\/CommunityAvatar4.png\/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar4.png)\n  \n  Simran Merbay\n  \n  Mar 6, 2017\n  \"I was doing my homework about the Titanic and the teacher told us to do steps to escape a sinking ship. I really understand these steps and got an A.\"...\" [more](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n[More reader stories](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Hide reader stories](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n[Share your story](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n## Did this article help you?\nYes\n\nNo\n\n[![](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/c\/c2\/Horrormovie_bottom.jpg)![](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/c\/c2\/Horrormovie_bottom.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Would-You-Survive-a-Horror-Movie?utm_source=wikihow&utm_medium=bottom&utm_campaign=horrormovie_quiz)\n\nAdvertisement\n\nCookies make wikiHow better. 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I really understand these steps and got an A.\"...\" [more](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n![Melvin Sanchez](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f5\/CommunityAvatar4.png\/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar4.png)\n\nMelvin Sanchez\n\nMar 31, 2017\n\n\"I have further information for my ESL students about this issue. Thanks a lot.\"\n\n![Kieran Ceena](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f5\/CommunityAvatar4.png\/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar4.png)\n\nKieran Ceena\n\nMay 31, 2016\n\n\"When the ship sinks, I'll have a good chance of survival.\"\n\n![Anonymous](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/0a\/CommunityAvatar1.png\/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar1.png)\n\nAnonymous\n\nApr 12, 2018\n\n\"It was a good to know how to survive a sinking ship. \"\n\n![Arnav Vaidya](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f2\/CommunityAvatar3.png\/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar3.png)\n\nArnav Vaidya\n\nApr 18, 2016\n\n\"It's very useful and informative.\"\n\n[Share yours\\!](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [More success stories](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Hide success stories](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n### Quizzes & Games\n[![How Good Are My Survival Instincts 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Sign up for\n\nwikiHow’s newsletter\n\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\nYou're all set\\!\n\n[X](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n#### Join us in our mission\nFor over two decades, we’ve been on a mission: to help everyone in the world learn how to do anything. Our articles are human written and expert endorsed to ensure readers like you get reliable, current information. **Before you get back to learning, we would be grateful if you could take a minute to support wikiHow. Any amount helps. Thank you.**\n\n[Let’s do this\\!](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/wikiHow:Contribute?utm_source=wikihow&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=contribute2&aid=827641)\n\n\\-\n\n\\-\n\n![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p?c1=2&c2=8003466&cv=3.9.1&cj=1)\n\n649","attrs_readable_markdown":"[![PDF download](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/extensions\/wikihow\/socialstamp\/images\/icon-pdf.svg) Download Article](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n[![PDF download](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/extensions\/wikihow\/socialstamp\/images\/icon-pdf.svg) Download Article](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n- [Learning the Basics: Before Setting Sail](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#Learning-the-Basics:-Before-Setting-Sail)\n- [Evacuating, if Sinking is Imminent](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#Evacuating.2C-if-Sinking-is-Imminent)\n- [Q\\&A](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#qa_headline)\n- [Tips](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#tips)\n- [Warnings](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#warnings)\n- [Things You'll Need](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#thingsyoullneed)\n\nThe odds of you being trapped on a sinking ship are extremely low thanks to today's advances in safety and technology. However, there are still occasional disasters such as with car and passenger ferries. Some of these accidents can occur when you're traveling in a country whose safety standards have been less stringently applied. If you should ever find yourself in this life-threatening situation, here are some suggestions to help improve your odds of survival, just in case.\n\n1. [![Step 1 Understand the mechanics behind a sinking ship.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f6\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-1.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-1.jpg)\n   While this is mainly for the sake of curiosity, understanding how a ship sinks can be useful and give you a sense of what occurs if you're ever stuck in the situation of being on a sinking ship. Every type of ship will react to taking on water and sinking differently depending on the shape of the hull, center of gravity, and cause of the casualty. No one set of rules works on all ship types.\n   \n   - Water often enters the lowest point of a ship first, the bilge area.[\\[1\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-1)  The bilges are pits in the lowest part of the engineering section. It's very normal for ships to have water leaking into the bilges. It comes in through sea chests, shaft bearings, or valve seals. Ships have bilge pumps to remove this water once it reaches a certain level. They are in the bilges to attack any eventual flooding as early as possible at the lowest possible level. However, this is not always a viable solution. Ships can sink from hitting another ship, an object such as an iceberg, a ruptured sea chest, or an attack. In the case of the Greek cruise liner *MTS Oceanos* the water entered through a ruptured overboard sewage discharge valve far from the bilges and erupted into the ship through commodes, sinks, and showers. There was no way the pumps could have helped. The *Titanic* had seams popped and split starting about 50 feet (15.2 m) from the starboard bow and flooded 6 compartments. The rest is history. There was just too much water for the pumps to discharge. The *Lusitania* was torpedoed and exploded twice. Both the *MS Sea Diamond* and the *Costa Concordia* ran aground and partially sank after hitting well marked reefs while sailing in good weather. There are many other famous examples.\n   - Small boats will react differently than bigger ships. They are normally built, as much as possible, of buoyant materials. Reasons for why a boat might sink include a low transom, missing drain plugs, cooling system leaks, or openings either incorrectly closed or broken doors (such as on a car [ferry](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Drive-Your-Car-on-to-a-Ferry \"Drive Your Car on to a Ferry\")).[\\[2\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-2)  The broken doors are what sank the car ferry *Estonia*.\n2. [![Step 2 Learn how the Estonia sank.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5e\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-2.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-2.jpg)\n   The stability of a ship depends, in part, on its center of gravity. In the case of the *Estonia* the car ferry took on water through a broken door. In that event, the rocking slowed down, which is a bad sign because a ferry that isn't rocking cannot stabilize itself.[\\[3\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-3)  With Trans-Oceanic ships the configuration is different. According to researcher Steve Zalek of the University of Michigan Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Department, Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory, studies done demonstrate that if the center of gravity is low the ship will rock quickly. Passengers will become seasick, cargo can break loose, and containers can be pitched into the sea, but if the center of gravity is higher the ship will rock more slowly. Passengers will be more comfortable, cargo won't break loose, and containers aren't pitched overboard. Rocking too much could cause a ship to keel over in heavy seas. The idea is that the ship would heel over to no more than 10° either way in order when the wheel is thrown hard over to maintain stability.\n   Advertisement\n3. [![Step 3 Check for the location of personal flotation devices.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/0b\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-3.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-3.jpg)\n   Ensure you do this as soon as you have boarded any sea vessel. Whether you're going on a short trip across the harbor, a day trip, or a cruise, knowing the location of the personal flotation device in advance may save your life.\n   \n   - When going on a cruise, part of the standard safety drill at the beginning will include asking you to check that your PFD is in the cabin space. Be sure to check for infant or child PFDs if also needed and alert crew immediately if these are not in place. In addition, look for the lifeboats nearest to your cabin, along with any obvious markers that might lead you to the boats if visibility becomes bad; as with aircraft, there will often be lights designating where safety exits are.\n   - Read the instructions for putting on the personal flotation device and using it. If you have any questions, ask the ship's crew.\n   - If you're traveling on a ship where the crew speaks a different language from your own, find people who can advise you directly on what to do in the event of an emergency. It is prudent to seek this information even before you board the ship.\n4. [![Step 4 Think about your sense of etiquette.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d9\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-4.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-4.jpg)\n   Although philosophical in nature, the question is: What will you do if push came to shove? Would you expect to see women and children off first, then men? Or is it everyone for themselves? This actually depends upon the laws of what national waters the ship is in first, and the flag registry or nation of ownership second. Women and children boarded lifeboats from the *Titanic* because she was in international waters, and flagged in England, whose laws demanded such action- and they had time to board lifeboats. However, *Lusitania* sank in 18 minutes, giving no one time to board life boats.\n\n1. [![Step 1 Send out a Mayday if you're in charge of the sinking ship.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/1c\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-5.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-5.jpg)\n2. [![Step 2 Listen for the evacuation signal.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/bd\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-6.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-6.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-6.jpg)\n   This is standard – 7 short horn blasts followed by one long one.[\\[4\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-4)  The captain or other crew members may also use the intercom system to speak to all other crew and passengers.\n3. [![Step 3 Put on your personal flotation device (PFD).](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/70\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-7.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-7.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-7.jpg)\n   Be as prepared to exit the ship as time allows. If you have time to grab any additional survival items, do so. But only if doing so won't endanger your life or the lives of others.\n   \n   - If you have time, put on all your waterproof gear, such as headgear, jacket, and gloves.[\\[5\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-5)  If there is an emergency survival suit available and time permits, put it on. Note that while survival suits increase your chances of surviving in cold water, they are unlikely to be provided on passenger ships. For crew who have access to such suits, they will usually be required to practice putting on this suit within 2 minutes.\n   - Attend to all infants, children, and pets after you've prepared yourself.\n   - On a cruise ship, your life jacket is usually located in a cupboard near the entryway of your stateroom. Head straight to your stateroom, grab your life vest, take a small travel bag, put on something warm and comfortable, and only grab essential foods and medications. Then go straight to your designated muster station by following the emergency exit signs.\n4. [![Step 4 Follow directions.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b7\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-8.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-8.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-8.jpg)\n   This may be the most important step of all. If you don't know how to get to safety, the captain or one of the crew members will tell you how. Ship's crews are highly trained in rescue operations on many ships and will have a better understanding than you about what needs to be done to ensure your safety. You should only attempt to escape on your own if there is no authority present to give proper directions. A well-run ship will have a \"muster station\" where everyone needs to gather in preparation for evacuation. If you received a safety drill in going to a muster station, try to comply with it.\n   \n   - If you can't hear or understand the directions (for example, it's not your language), keep one thing in mind - head up and off the ship. Heading to the center or inner levels of the boat is not wise but don't be surprised if people do this as a result of [panic](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Panic-Attacks \"Stop Panic Attacks\").\n   - If the captain assigns you with tasks, speak up if you don't feel you can comply. Otherwise, do your best to help out.\n5. [![Step 5 Stay calm...](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/76\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-9.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-9.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-9.jpg)\n   [**Stay calm**](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Calm-in-a-Stressful-Situation \"Be Calm in a Stressful Situation\") **and don't panic.** It may sound like an inevitable cliché, but the more you panic, the longer it will take to get to a lifeboat. Studies have shown that only about 15 percent of people manage not to panic, with a whopping 70 percent suffering from impaired reasoning and 15 percent becoming irrational.[\\[6\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-6)  Thus, staying calm is important for dealing with other passengers as well as helping to keep your own mind focused to do whatever you can to survive. If others around you are panicking, try as best you can to calm them down, as their actions will only slow down and possibly endanger your evacuation. Unfortunately, panic on a cruise is something that can endanger everyone owing to the number of people involved and this can lead people to push and shove one another, causing injuries before people have even left the ship.[\\[7\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-7)\n   \n   - Be aware that the opposite spectrum of panic can kick in – that of being stunned and unable to respond at all.[\\[8\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-8)\n   - If you see someone frozen with fear, **yell** at them. This is what flight attendants are trained to do to get passengers to leave a burning plane, and can be adapted to a boat situation.\n   - Try to focus on keeping your [breathing](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Breathe-Deeply \"Breathe Deeply\") under control. If you're used to breathing for yoga, pilates, or any similar relaxation breathing techniques, use these to calm you, as well as resorting to breathing this way if you end up in the water trying to survive.[\\[9\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-9)\n6. [![Step 6 Focus on escaping via the quickest route, not the shortest route.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d2\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-10.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-10.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-10.jpg)\n   Getting out fast is more important than getting out by going the shortest way which might even lead you to more danger. As the ship begins to tilt, grab whatever you can to help you remain upright and able to reach your destination, such as handrails, pipes, hooks, light fittings, etc.\n   \n   - Do not take the elevator. Just as you should avoid elevators when escaping a fire, the same applies here; all electrically driven items are suspect. The last place you'll want to be on a sinking ship is [stranded in an elevator](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Stranded-Elevator \"Escape a Stranded Elevator\"). In most cases, there will be no electricity on the ship, and the ship's list angle will be too great for an elevator to properly function.\n   - While still in the inner deck areas, watch for catapulting or floating objects coming your way. Large items hitting you can knock you unconscious or kill you.\n   - Ships are equipped with emergency strip lighting that make it clear which way is the exit in the event of a fire. If the lighting changes color such as from green to red or direction such as straight to left, then this marks the exit route.\n7. [![Step 7 Make your way to the deck.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cf\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-11.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-11.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-11.jpg)\n   From there, head to your emergency station or the nearest lifeboat available. Most of today's cruise liners run safety drills and procedures prior to departing on voyages so that passengers know where to go in the event of an emergency. If not, head to where it seems that the crew are assisting passengers to escape. Crew will usually be the last to abandon ship, as it is their duty to get everyone else off the ship to possible safety first.\n   \n   - Don't play the hero by staying back while crew is on board. Do what needs to be done to ensure that survival of yourself and your loved ones is not compromised. This isn't the movies.\n8. [![Step 8 Find a lifeboat.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/97\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-12.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-12.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-12.jpg)\n   The very best scenario is to enter a lifeboat *without getting wet*. The moment you're wet, you risk getting hypothermia or suffering from cold shock (see below). If lifeboats are already deployed, head for the best place to enter or jump into them, following instructions of crew if relevant.\n   \n   - If there are no lifeboats available, try to find a life preserver ring or similar flotation device and toss it into the water. Any flotation device is better than none, although your survival chances decrease dramatically once you're forced to spend time in the water.\n   - You may need to [jump off the ship](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Survive-a-Long-Fall \"Survive a Long Fall\"), or in some cases, simply step off an incline. If there is a lifeboat nearby, [swim](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Swim \"Swim\") to it, wave your arms, and shout to attract attention.\n   - If jumping, always look first. There may be people, boats, fires, propellers, etc., in the water below that you could hit or be submerged in. The ideal scenario is getting straight into a lifeboat. If not, the next best scenario is to jump as close to a rescue boat as possible and make your way into it immediately.\n9. [![Step 9 Stay calm in the lifeboat.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a6\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-13.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-13.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-13.jpg)\n   Follow directions, and wait for the rescue. Waiting alone in the open ocean without the comfort of a large ship will undoubtedly be frightening, but [be patient](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Patient \"Be Patient\"). Help is on the way.\n   \n   - In a lifeboat, use rations sparingly. Use flares only when it is clear that doing so will result in a rescuer seeing you. Huddle together to keep warm. Arrange lookout watches. Collect rainwater and don't drink seawater or urine. Treat any injuries as best you can.[\\[10\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-10)\n   - Stay determined. Stories of survivors at sea are a testament that it is the most determined who survive harsh waiting conditions leading up to rescue.\n   - If you couldn't find a lifeboat, look for the next best things, such as a life raft, or bobbing objects from the ship (flotsam) that remain afloat.\n10. [![Step 10 Expect some harsh realities.](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/8f\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-14.jpg\/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-14.jpg)](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#\/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-14.jpg)\n    If you don't end up in a lifeboat either straight away or fairly quickly, your survival odds worsen a great deal. The sea is cold and if it's rough, even the strongest swimmers will have a hard time defeating the cold and the sea swells. Inadequate amounts of lifeboats or lost lifeboats mean that there can be more people than space, causing more panic and even endangering the remaining lifeboats as people desperately cling to them or clamber on.\n    \n    - Being in cold water will cause [hypothermia](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Treat-Hypothermia \"Treat Hypothermia\"). Hypothermia will cause you to want to sleep. If you fall asleep or fall unconscious, you risk [drowning](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Avoid-Drowning \"Avoid Drowning\").\n    - Cold shock is the kind of shock that comes from hitting cold water and being unable to control your breathing while your heart rate and blood pressure go up, immediately incapacitating you.[\\[11\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-11)  Cold shock can cause you to take an involuntary breath, which will often cause you to take in water.[\\[12\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-12)  While those who are used to entering cold water can tolerate this for initial few minutes required to regain your senses, many people are not able to do so and drown. This cold shock phenomenon occurs *before* hypothermia sets in.\n    - Shock may set in, causing everything to become surreal and to prevent you from doing your best to survive. If shock doesn't set in, mental distress is a highly likely possibility, with nothing but water everywhere, right to the horizon, and not knowing when rescue will arrive. Try to prevent this by focusing on surviving, using mind games, counting, thinking about other people's needs, etc.\n    - Your hands and fingers will become numb very quickly, making even doing up a lifejacket difficult, if not impossible.\n    - Even in good weather, heatstroke, sunburn, and dehydration soon become an issue. Try to cover yourself up as best you can and ration water supplies carefully.\n    - If you do survive, be ready for the reality that some of the people on the lifeboat with you may not. Seek counseling for [post-traumatic stress disorder](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Deal-With-Having-PTSD-\$Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder\$ \"Deal With Having PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)\") if needed.\n\nSearch\n\n[Add New Question]()\n\n- Question\n  \n  If the only thing left to do is jump from the sinking boat, which part is the best to jump from?\n  \n  ![Community Answer](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f2\/CommunityAvatar3.png\/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar3.png)\n  \n  Community Answer\n  \n  Jump from the part that is nearest the water so your fall is not as dangerous. If possible, ease into the water to avoid injuries.\n- Question\n  \n  What should I do if there are animals such as sharks in the water? Should I still jump into a lifeboat?\n  \n  ![Community Answer](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b0\/CommunityAvatar2.png\/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar2.png)\n  \n  Community Answer\n  \n  Okay, so weigh it up -- would you like to sink with the ship or have a chance of surviving in a lifeboat? Given that sharks aren't very attracted to human beings in a lifeboat, attempting to save yourself in the lifeboat is infinitely more preferable.\n- Question\n  \n  How do I escape a sinking ship with thousands of other passengers and no life jacket?\n  \n  ![Community Answer](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f5\/CommunityAvatar4.png\/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar4.png)\n  \n  Community Answer\n  \n  Try to get hold of a floating object. Make your way to a life boat if possible.\n\n[See more answers](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Questions\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#offset=3)\n\nAsk a Question\n\n200 characters left\n\nInclude your email address to get a message when this question is answered.\n\n[Submit]()\n\nAdvertisement\n\n- If you're a constant sea traveler for work or pleasure, consider preparing an \"abandon ship\" bag (also known as a \"ditch bag\", or a \"flee bag\").[\\[13\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-13)  While not cheap, having such a bag could increase your chances of survival. Make sure it's waterproof and has a wrist attachment. Include such things as water, food, flashlight, etc. It should be able to float when fully packed, and should also be waterproof.\n  Thanks\n- The following table details your survival time in water:[\\[14\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-14)\n  Thanks\n- Rats can't tell the future; they abandon ship out of fear simply because they happen to be living where the water first starts filling the ship.[\\[15\\]](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-15)  Nevertheless, if the rats are jumping, it's a sign the boat's taking on water\\!\n  Thanks\n\n[Show More Tips](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n| **Water Temperature** | **Exhaustion or Unconsciousness** | **Expected Survival Time** |\n|---|---|---|\n| 70–80° F (21–27° C) | 3–12 hours | 3 hours – indefinitely |\n| ‘60–70° F (16–21° C) | 2–7 hours | 2–40 hours |\n| 50–60° F (10–16° C) | 1–2 hours | 1–6 hours |\n| 40–50° F (4–10° C) | 30–60 minutes | 1–3 hours |\n| 32\\.5–40° F (0–4° C) | 15–30 minutes | 30–90 minutes |\n| \\<32° F (\\<0° C) | Under 15 minutes | Under 15–45 minutes |\n\n[Show More Tips](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n\n#### Tips from our Readers ![](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/extensions\/wikihow\/tipsandwarnings\/images\/question.svg)\n- Make sure to know the Morse code for SOS: three dots, three longer dashes, then three dots.\n\nThanks for submitting a tip for review\\!\n\nAdvertisement\n\n- Shark attacks in the open sea are rare; the only reason shark attacks make media headlines is because they are so rare. If sharks are circling or bumping your lifeboat, avoid panicking as it's very unlikely that it's more than curiosity.\n  Thanks\n- Always attend to readying yourself before helping children. The rationale is that if you're appropriately dressed and able to float, etc., you'll have more strength to assist children in need of help. Older children can help younger children, especially if you remain calm and give orders methodically as part of a team effort to prepare for the escape.\n  Thanks\n\nAdvertisement\n\n## Things You'll Need\n- Personal flotation device\n- Abandon ship bag\n- Lifeboat or life raft\n\n## References\n1. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-1) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship1.htm>\n2. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-2) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship1.htm>\n3. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-3) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/transcripts\/2607ship.html>\n4. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-4) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship3.htm>\n5. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-5) Boat Safe, Procedure for Abandoning Ship, <http:\/\/www.boatsafe.com\/nauticalknowhow\/abandonship.htm>\n6. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-6) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship3.htm>\n7. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-7) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship3.htm>\n8. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-8) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/transcripts\/2607ship.html>\n9. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-9) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/transcripts\/2607ship.html>\n\n1. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-10) Boat Safe, Procedure for Abandoning Ship, <http:\/\/www.boatsafe.com\/nauticalknowhow\/abandonship.htm>\n2. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-11) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/transcripts\/2607ship.html>\n3. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-12) <http:\/\/www.ussartf.org\/cold_water_survival.htm>\n4. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-13) Doug Ritter, Abandon Ship Bag, <http:\/\/www.boatsafe.com\/nauticalknowhow\/abandon_ship.htm>\n5. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-14) <http:\/\/www.ussartf.org\/cold_water_survival.htm>\n6. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-15) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http:\/\/adventure.howstuffworks.com\/sinking-ship4.htm>\n7. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-16) David Borgenicht and Trey Popp, *The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors*, p. 191, (2007), ISBN 10-0-8118-5827-8\n8. [↑](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-17) David Borgenicht and Trey Popp, *The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors*, p. 195, (2007), ISBN 10-0-8118-5827-8\n\nAbout This Article\n\n[Article SummaryX](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#summary_wrapper)\n\nLearning how to escape a sinking ship can save you in case of a water disaster. When you first get on a boat, you should check the location of life-jackets and life-boats, so you know where to go in case of an emergency. If you learn your ship is sinking, follow the instructions of the captain and crew and stay as calm as possible. Water will enter the bottom of the ship first, so make your way to the deck. Then, find a lifejacket and a lifeboat. If there aren’t lifeboats, find something that floats, like a reserver ring. If you need to jump off the boat, make sure there aren’t any propellers below you that could suck you in. To learn how to avoid hypothermia in the water, read on.\n\nDid this summary help you?\n\nThanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 368,672 times.\n\nReader Success Stories\n\n- ![Simran Merbay](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f5\/CommunityAvatar4.png\/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar4.png)\n  \n  Simran Merbay\n  \n  Mar 6, 2017\n  \"I was doing my homework about the Titanic and the teacher told us to do steps to escape a sinking ship. I really...\" [more](https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship)\n## Did this article help you?","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	Download Article Download Article Learning the Basics: Before Setting Sail \| Evacuating, if Sinking is Imminent \| Q&A \| Tips \| Warnings \| Things You'll Need The odds of you being trapped on a sinking ship are extremely low thanks to today's advances in safety and technology. However, there are still occasional disasters such as with car and passenger ferries. Some of these accidents can occur when you're traveling in a country whose safety standards have been less stringently applied. If you should ever find yourself in this life-threatening situation, here are some suggestions to help improve your odds of survival, just in case. While this is mainly for the sake of curiosity, understanding how a ship sinks can be useful and give you a sense of what occurs if you're ever stuck in the situation of being on a sinking ship. Every type of ship will react to taking on water and sinking differently depending on the shape of the hull, center of gravity, and cause of the casualty. No one set of rules works on all ship types. Water often enters the lowest point of a ship first, the bilge area. [1] The bilges are pits in the lowest part of the engineering section. It's very normal for ships to have water leaking into the bilges. It comes in through sea chests, shaft bearings, or valve seals. Ships have bilge pumps to remove this water once it reaches a certain level. They are in the bilges to attack any eventual flooding as early as possible at the lowest possible level. However, this is not always a viable solution. Ships can sink from hitting another ship, an object such as an iceberg, a ruptured sea chest, or an attack. In the case of the Greek cruise liner MTS Oceanos the water entered through a ruptured overboard sewage discharge valve far from the bilges and erupted into the ship through commodes, sinks, and showers. There was no way the pumps could have helped. The Titanic had seams popped and split starting about 50 feet (15.2 m) from the starboard bow and flooded 6 compartments. The rest is history. There was just too much water for the pumps to discharge. The Lusitania was torpedoed and exploded twice. Both the MS Sea Diamond and the Costa Concordia ran aground and partially sank after hitting well marked reefs while sailing in good weather. There are many other famous examples. Small boats will react differently than bigger ships. They are normally built, as much as possible, of buoyant materials. Reasons for why a boat might sink include a low transom, missing drain plugs, cooling system leaks, or openings either incorrectly closed or broken doors (such as on a car ferry ). [2] The broken doors are what sank the car ferry Estonia . The stability of a ship depends, in part, on its center of gravity. In the case of the Estonia the car ferry took on water through a broken door. In that event, the rocking slowed down, which is a bad sign because a ferry that isn't rocking cannot stabilize itself. [3] With Trans-Oceanic ships the configuration is different. According to researcher Steve Zalek of the University of Michigan Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Department, Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory, studies done demonstrate that if the center of gravity is low the ship will rock quickly. Passengers will become seasick, cargo can break loose, and containers can be pitched into the sea, but if the center of gravity is higher the ship will rock more slowly. Passengers will be more comfortable, cargo won't break loose, and containers aren't pitched overboard. Rocking too much could cause a ship to keel over in heavy seas. The idea is that the ship would heel over to no more than 10° either way in order when the wheel is thrown hard over to maintain stability. Advertisement Ensure you do this as soon as you have boarded any sea vessel. Whether you're going on a short trip across the harbor, a day trip, or a cruise, knowing the location of the personal flotation device in advance may save your life. When going on a cruise, part of the standard safety drill at the beginning will include asking you to check that your PFD is in the cabin space. Be sure to check for infant or child PFDs if also needed and alert crew immediately if these are not in place. In addition, look for the lifeboats nearest to your cabin, along with any obvious markers that might lead you to the boats if visibility becomes bad; as with aircraft, there will often be lights designating where safety exits are. Read the instructions for putting on the personal flotation device and using it. If you have any questions, ask the ship's crew. If you're traveling on a ship where the crew speaks a different language from your own, find people who can advise you directly on what to do in the event of an emergency. It is prudent to seek this information even before you board the ship. Although philosophical in nature, the question is: What will you do if push came to shove? Would you expect to see women and children off first, then men? Or is it everyone for themselves? This actually depends upon the laws of what national waters the ship is in first, and the flag registry or nation of ownership second. Women and children boarded lifeboats from the Titanic because she was in international waters, and flagged in England, whose laws demanded such action- and they had time to board lifeboats. However, Lusitania sank in 18 minutes, giving no one time to board life boats. Advertisement This is standard – 7 short horn blasts followed by one long one. [4] The captain or other crew members may also use the intercom system to speak to all other crew and passengers. Be as prepared to exit the ship as time allows. If you have time to grab any additional survival items, do so. But only if doing so won't endanger your life or the lives of others. If you have time, put on all your waterproof gear, such as headgear, jacket, and gloves. [5] If there is an emergency survival suit available and time permits, put it on. Note that while survival suits increase your chances of surviving in cold water, they are unlikely to be provided on passenger ships. For crew who have access to such suits, they will usually be required to practice putting on this suit within 2 minutes. Attend to all infants, children, and pets after you've prepared yourself. On a cruise ship, your life jacket is usually located in a cupboard near the entryway of your stateroom. Head straight to your stateroom, grab your life vest, take a small travel bag, put on something warm and comfortable, and only grab essential foods and medications. Then go straight to your designated muster station by following the emergency exit signs. This may be the most important step of all. If you don't know how to get to safety, the captain or one of the crew members will tell you how. Ship's crews are highly trained in rescue operations on many ships and will have a better understanding than you about what needs to be done to ensure your safety. You should only attempt to escape on your own if there is no authority present to give proper directions. A well-run ship will have a "muster station" where everyone needs to gather in preparation for evacuation. If you received a safety drill in going to a muster station, try to comply with it. If you can't hear or understand the directions (for example, it's not your language), keep one thing in mind - head up and off the ship. Heading to the center or inner levels of the boat is not wise but don't be surprised if people do this as a result of panic . If the captain assigns you with tasks, speak up if you don't feel you can comply. Otherwise, do your best to help out. Stay calm and don't panic. It may sound like an inevitable cliché, but the more you panic, the longer it will take to get to a lifeboat. Studies have shown that only about 15 percent of people manage not to panic, with a whopping 70 percent suffering from impaired reasoning and 15 percent becoming irrational. [6] Thus, staying calm is important for dealing with other passengers as well as helping to keep your own mind focused to do whatever you can to survive. If others around you are panicking, try as best you can to calm them down, as their actions will only slow down and possibly endanger your evacuation. Unfortunately, panic on a cruise is something that can endanger everyone owing to the number of people involved and this can lead people to push and shove one another, causing injuries before people have even left the ship. [7] Be aware that the opposite spectrum of panic can kick in – that of being stunned and unable to respond at all. [8] If you see someone frozen with fear, yell at them. This is what flight attendants are trained to do to get passengers to leave a burning plane, and can be adapted to a boat situation. Try to focus on keeping your breathing under control. If you're used to breathing for yoga, pilates, or any similar relaxation breathing techniques, use these to calm you, as well as resorting to breathing this way if you end up in the water trying to survive. [9] Getting out fast is more important than getting out by going the shortest way which might even lead you to more danger. As the ship begins to tilt, grab whatever you can to help you remain upright and able to reach your destination, such as handrails, pipes, hooks, light fittings, etc. Do not take the elevator. Just as you should avoid elevators when escaping a fire, the same applies here; all electrically driven items are suspect. The last place you'll want to be on a sinking ship is stranded in an elevator . In most cases, there will be no electricity on the ship, and the ship's list angle will be too great for an elevator to properly function. While still in the inner deck areas, watch for catapulting or floating objects coming your way. Large items hitting you can knock you unconscious or kill you. Ships are equipped with emergency strip lighting that make it clear which way is the exit in the event of a fire. If the lighting changes color such as from green to red or direction such as straight to left, then this marks the exit route. From there, head to your emergency station or the nearest lifeboat available. Most of today's cruise liners run safety drills and procedures prior to departing on voyages so that passengers know where to go in the event of an emergency. If not, head to where it seems that the crew are assisting passengers to escape. Crew will usually be the last to abandon ship, as it is their duty to get everyone else off the ship to possible safety first. Don't play the hero by staying back while crew is on board. Do what needs to be done to ensure that survival of yourself and your loved ones is not compromised. This isn't the movies. The very best scenario is to enter a lifeboat without getting wet . The moment you're wet, you risk getting hypothermia or suffering from cold shock (see below). If lifeboats are already deployed, head for the best place to enter or jump into them, following instructions of crew if relevant. If there are no lifeboats available, try to find a life preserver ring or similar flotation device and toss it into the water. Any flotation device is better than none, although your survival chances decrease dramatically once you're forced to spend time in the water. You may need to jump off the ship , or in some cases, simply step off an incline. If there is a lifeboat nearby, swim to it, wave your arms, and shout to attract attention. If jumping, always look first. There may be people, boats, fires, propellers, etc., in the water below that you could hit or be submerged in. The ideal scenario is getting straight into a lifeboat. If not, the next best scenario is to jump as close to a rescue boat as possible and make your way into it immediately. Follow directions, and wait for the rescue. Waiting alone in the open ocean without the comfort of a large ship will undoubtedly be frightening, but be patient . Help is on the way. In a lifeboat, use rations sparingly. Use flares only when it is clear that doing so will result in a rescuer seeing you. Huddle together to keep warm. Arrange lookout watches. Collect rainwater and don't drink seawater or urine. Treat any injuries as best you can. [10] Stay determined. Stories of survivors at sea are a testament that it is the most determined who survive harsh waiting conditions leading up to rescue. If you couldn't find a lifeboat, look for the next best things, such as a life raft, or bobbing objects from the ship (flotsam) that remain afloat. If you don't end up in a lifeboat either straight away or fairly quickly, your survival odds worsen a great deal. The sea is cold and if it's rough, even the strongest swimmers will have a hard time defeating the cold and the sea swells. Inadequate amounts of lifeboats or lost lifeboats mean that there can be more people than space, causing more panic and even endangering the remaining lifeboats as people desperately cling to them or clamber on. Being in cold water will cause hypothermia . Hypothermia will cause you to want to sleep. If you fall asleep or fall unconscious, you risk drowning . Cold shock is the kind of shock that comes from hitting cold water and being unable to control your breathing while your heart rate and blood pressure go up, immediately incapacitating you. [11] Cold shock can cause you to take an involuntary breath, which will often cause you to take in water. [12] While those who are used to entering cold water can tolerate this for initial few minutes required to regain your senses, many people are not able to do so and drown. This cold shock phenomenon occurs before hypothermia sets in. Shock may set in, causing everything to become surreal and to prevent you from doing your best to survive. If shock doesn't set in, mental distress is a highly likely possibility, with nothing but water everywhere, right to the horizon, and not knowing when rescue will arrive. Try to prevent this by focusing on surviving, using mind games, counting, thinking about other people's needs, etc. Your hands and fingers will become numb very quickly, making even doing up a lifejacket difficult, if not impossible. Even in good weather, heatstroke, sunburn, and dehydration soon become an issue. Try to cover yourself up as best you can and ration water supplies carefully. If you do survive, be ready for the reality that some of the people on the lifeboat with you may not. Seek counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder if needed. Advertisement Search Add New Question Question If the only thing left to do is jump from the sinking boat, which part is the best to jump from? Community Answer Jump from the part that is nearest the water so your fall is not as dangerous. If possible, ease into the water to avoid injuries. Question What should I do if there are animals such as sharks in the water? Should I still jump into a lifeboat? Community Answer Okay, so weigh it up -- would you like to sink with the ship or have a chance of surviving in a lifeboat? Given that sharks aren't very attracted to human beings in a lifeboat, attempting to save yourself in the lifeboat is infinitely more preferable. Question How do I escape a sinking ship with thousands of other passengers and no life jacket? Community Answer Try to get hold of a floating object. Make your way to a life boat if possible. See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement If you're a constant sea traveler for work or pleasure, consider preparing an "abandon ship" bag (also known as a "ditch bag", or a "flee bag"). [13] While not cheap, having such a bag could increase your chances of survival. Make sure it's waterproof and has a wrist attachment. Include such things as water, food, flashlight, etc. It should be able to float when fully packed, and should also be waterproof. Thanks The following table details your survival time in water: [14] Thanks Rats can't tell the future; they abandon ship out of fear simply because they happen to be living where the water first starts filling the ship. [15] Nevertheless, if the rats are jumping, it's a sign the boat's taking on water! Thanks Show More Tips Water Temperature Exhaustion or Unconsciousness Expected Survival Time 70–80° F (21–27° C) 3–12 hours 3 hours – indefinitely ‘60–70° F (16–21° C) 2–7 hours 2–40 hours 50–60° F (10–16° C) 1–2 hours 1–6 hours 40–50° F (4–10° C) 30–60 minutes 1–3 hours 32.5–40° F (0–4° C) 15–30 minutes 30–90 minutes <32° F (<0° C) Under 15 minutes Under 15–45 minutes Show More Tips Tips from our Readers Make sure to know the Morse code for SOS: three dots, three longer dashes, then three dots. Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement Shark attacks in the open sea are rare; the only reason shark attacks make media headlines is because they are so rare. If sharks are circling or bumping your lifeboat, avoid panicking as it's very unlikely that it's more than curiosity. Thanks Always attend to readying yourself before helping children. The rationale is that if you're appropriately dressed and able to float, etc., you'll have more strength to assist children in need of help. Older children can help younger children, especially if you remain calm and give orders methodically as part of a team effort to prepare for the escape. Thanks Advertisement Things You'll Need Personal flotation device Abandon ship bag Lifeboat or life raft References ↑ Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship1.htm ↑ Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship1.htm ↑ PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2607ship.html ↑ Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship3.htm ↑ Boat Safe, Procedure for Abandoning Ship, http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/abandonship.htm ↑ Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship3.htm ↑ Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship3.htm ↑ PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2607ship.html ↑ PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2607ship.html ↑ Boat Safe, Procedure for Abandoning Ship, http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/abandonship.htm ↑ PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2607ship.html ↑ http://www.ussartf.org/cold_water_survival.htm ↑ Doug Ritter, Abandon Ship Bag, http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/abandon_ship.htm ↑ http://www.ussartf.org/cold_water_survival.htm ↑ Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship4.htm ↑ David Borgenicht and Trey Popp, The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors , p. 191, (2007), ISBN 10-0-8118-5827-8 ↑ David Borgenicht and Trey Popp, The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors , p. 195, (2007), ISBN 10-0-8118-5827-8 About This Article Article Summary X Learning how to escape a sinking ship can save you in case of a water disaster. When you first get on a boat, you should check the location of life-jackets and life-boats, so you know where to go in case of an emergency. If you learn your ship is sinking, follow the instructions of the captain and crew and stay as calm as possible. Water will enter the bottom of the ship first, so make your way to the deck. Then, find a lifejacket and a lifeboat. If there aren’t lifeboats, find something that floats, like a reserver ring. If you need to jump off the boat, make sure there aren’t any propellers below you that could suck you in. To learn how to avoid hypothermia in the water, read on. Did this summary help you? Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 368,672 times. Reader Success Stories Simran Merbay Mar 6, 2017 "I was doing my homework about the Titanic and the teacher told us to do steps to escape a sinking ship. I really ..." more Did this article help you?
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Learn why people trust wikiHow](https://www.wikihow.com/wikiHow:Delivering-a-Trustworthy-Experience) - [Categories](https://www.wikihow.com/Special:CategoryListing "Special:CategoryListing") - [Sports and Fitness](https://www.wikihow.com/Category:Sports-and-Fitness "Category:Sports and Fitness") - [Outdoor Recreation](https://www.wikihow.com/Category:Outdoor-Recreation "Category:Outdoor Recreation") - [Outdoor Safety](https://www.wikihow.com/Category:Outdoor-Safety "Category:Outdoor Safety") # [How to Escape a Sinking Ship](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [![PDF download](https://www.wikihow.com/extensions/wikihow/socialstamp/images/icon-pdf.svg) Download Article](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) Reviewed by [Ky Furneaux](https://www.wikihow.com/Author/Ky-Furneaux) [Last Updated: April 20, 2025](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Approved](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [![PDF download](https://www.wikihow.com/extensions/wikihow/socialstamp/images/icon-pdf.svg) Download Article](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) - [Learning the Basics: Before Setting Sail](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#Learning-the-Basics:-Before-Setting-Sail) - [Evacuating, if Sinking is Imminent](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#Evacuating.2C-if-Sinking-is-Imminent) - [Q\&A](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#qa_headline) - [Tips](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#tips) - [Warnings](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#warnings) - [Things You'll Need](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#thingsyoullneed) \\|Show more \\|Show less X This article was reviewed by [Ky Furneaux](https://www.wikihow.com/Author/Ky-Furneaux). Ky Furneaux is a survival expert, outdoor guide, and professional stuntwoman based in Australia. She’s been featured in over 100 films and TV productions, and has hosted, produced, and participated in some of the most extreme TV survival shows including MTV’s Made and Discovery’s Naked and Afraid. She has authored 5 survival books, including "The Superwoman’s Survival Guide" and "Survive: The All-In-One Guide to Staying Alive in Extreme Conditions", with the goal of sharing her knowledge of survival techniques with others. As an accomplished stuntwoman, she won a Taurus Award in 2012 for Best Female Stunt Performer and has doubled stars like Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Jaime Alexander, and Sharon Stone. There are [9 references](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#References) cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 83% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 368,672 times. The odds of you being trapped on a sinking ship are extremely low thanks to today's advances in safety and technology. However, there are still occasional disasters such as with car and passenger ferries. Some of these accidents can occur when you're traveling in a country whose safety standards have been less stringently applied. If you should ever find yourself in this life-threatening situation, here are some suggestions to help improve your odds of survival, just in case. ## Steps Part 1 Part 1 of 2: ### Learning the Basics: Before Setting Sail [![PDF download](https://www.wikihow.com/extensions/wikihow/socialstamp/images/icon-pdf.svg) Download Article](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) 1. [![Step 1 Understand the mechanics behind a sinking ship.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f6/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-1.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-1.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-1.jpg) 1 Understand the mechanics behind a sinking ship. While this is mainly for the sake of curiosity, understanding how a ship sinks can be useful and give you a sense of what occurs if you're ever stuck in the situation of being on a sinking ship. Every type of ship will react to taking on water and sinking differently depending on the shape of the hull, center of gravity, and cause of the casualty. No one set of rules works on all ship types. - Water often enters the lowest point of a ship first, the bilge area.[\[1\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-1) X Research source The bilges are pits in the lowest part of the engineering section. It's very normal for ships to have water leaking into the bilges. It comes in through sea chests, shaft bearings, or valve seals. Ships have bilge pumps to remove this water once it reaches a certain level. They are in the bilges to attack any eventual flooding as early as possible at the lowest possible level. However, this is not always a viable solution. Ships can sink from hitting another ship, an object such as an iceberg, a ruptured sea chest, or an attack. In the case of the Greek cruise liner MTS Oceanos the water entered through a ruptured overboard sewage discharge valve far from the bilges and erupted into the ship through commodes, sinks, and showers. There was no way the pumps could have helped. The Titanic had seams popped and split starting about 50 feet (15.2 m) from the starboard bow and flooded 6 compartments. The rest is history. There was just too much water for the pumps to discharge. The Lusitania was torpedoed and exploded twice. Both the MS Sea Diamond and the Costa Concordia ran aground and partially sank after hitting well marked reefs while sailing in good weather. There are many other famous examples. - Small boats will react differently than bigger ships. They are normally built, as much as possible, of buoyant materials. Reasons for why a boat might sink include a low transom, missing drain plugs, cooling system leaks, or openings either incorrectly closed or broken doors (such as on a car [ferry](https://www.wikihow.com/Drive-Your-Car-on-to-a-Ferry "Drive Your Car on to a Ferry")).[\[2\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-2) X Research source The broken doors are what sank the car ferry Estonia. 2. [![Step 2 Learn how the Estonia sank.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/5/5e/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-2.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-2.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-2.jpg) 2 Learn how the Estonia sank. The stability of a ship depends, in part, on its center of gravity. In the case of the Estonia the car ferry took on water through a broken door. In that event, the rocking slowed down, which is a bad sign because a ferry that isn't rocking cannot stabilize itself.[\[3\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-3) X Research source With Trans-Oceanic ships the configuration is different. According to researcher Steve Zalek of the University of Michigan Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Department, Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory, studies done demonstrate that if the center of gravity is low the ship will rock quickly. Passengers will become seasick, cargo can break loose, and containers can be pitched into the sea, but if the center of gravity is higher the ship will rock more slowly. Passengers will be more comfortable, cargo won't break loose, and containers aren't pitched overboard. Rocking too much could cause a ship to keel over in heavy seas. The idea is that the ship would heel over to no more than 10° either way in order when the wheel is thrown hard over to maintain stability. Advertisement 3. [![Step 3 Check for the location of personal flotation devices.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0b/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-3.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-3.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-3.jpg) 3 Check for the location of personal flotation devices. Ensure you do this as soon as you have boarded any sea vessel. Whether you're going on a short trip across the harbor, a day trip, or a cruise, knowing the location of the personal flotation device in advance may save your life. - When going on a cruise, part of the standard safety drill at the beginning will include asking you to check that your PFD is in the cabin space. Be sure to check for infant or child PFDs if also needed and alert crew immediately if these are not in place. In addition, look for the lifeboats nearest to your cabin, along with any obvious markers that might lead you to the boats if visibility becomes bad; as with aircraft, there will often be lights designating where safety exits are. - Read the instructions for putting on the personal flotation device and using it. If you have any questions, ask the ship's crew. - If you're traveling on a ship where the crew speaks a different language from your own, find people who can advise you directly on what to do in the event of an emergency. It is prudent to seek this information even before you board the ship. 4. [![Step 4 Think about your sense of etiquette.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d9/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-4.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-4.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-4.jpg) 4 Think about your sense of etiquette. Although philosophical in nature, the question is: What will you do if push came to shove? Would you expect to see women and children off first, then men? Or is it everyone for themselves? This actually depends upon the laws of what national waters the ship is in first, and the flag registry or nation of ownership second. Women and children boarded lifeboats from the Titanic because she was in international waters, and flagged in England, whose laws demanded such action- and they had time to board lifeboats. However, Lusitania sank in 18 minutes, giving no one time to board life boats. Part 2 Part 2 of 2: ### Evacuating, if Sinking is Imminent [![PDF download](https://www.wikihow.com/extensions/wikihow/socialstamp/images/icon-pdf.svg) Download Article](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) 1. [![Step 1 Send out a Mayday if you're in charge of the sinking ship.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/1c/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-5.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-5.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-5.jpg) 1 Send out a Mayday if you're in charge of the sinking ship. Read [How to call Mayday from a marine vessel](https://www.wikihow.com/Call-Mayday-from-a-Marine-Vessel "Call Mayday from a Marine Vessel") to learn how to do this. 2. [![Step 2 Listen for the evacuation signal.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/bd/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-6.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-6.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-6.jpg) 2 Listen for the evacuation signal. This is standard – 7 short horn blasts followed by one long one.[\[4\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-4) X Research source The captain or other crew members may also use the intercom system to speak to all other crew and passengers. 3. [![Step 3 Put on your personal flotation device (PFD).](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/70/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-7.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-7.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-7.jpg) 3 Put on your personal flotation device (PFD). Be as prepared to exit the ship as time allows. If you have time to grab any additional survival items, do so. But only if doing so won't endanger your life or the lives of others. - If you have time, put on all your waterproof gear, such as headgear, jacket, and gloves.[\[5\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-5) X Research source If there is an emergency survival suit available and time permits, put it on. Note that while survival suits increase your chances of surviving in cold water, they are unlikely to be provided on passenger ships. For crew who have access to such suits, they will usually be required to practice putting on this suit within 2 minutes. - Attend to all infants, children, and pets after you've prepared yourself. - On a cruise ship, your life jacket is usually located in a cupboard near the entryway of your stateroom. Head straight to your stateroom, grab your life vest, take a small travel bag, put on something warm and comfortable, and only grab essential foods and medications. Then go straight to your designated muster station by following the emergency exit signs. 4. [![Step 4 Follow directions.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b7/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-8.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-8.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-8.jpg) 4 Follow directions. This may be the most important step of all. If you don't know how to get to safety, the captain or one of the crew members will tell you how. Ship's crews are highly trained in rescue operations on many ships and will have a better understanding than you about what needs to be done to ensure your safety. You should only attempt to escape on your own if there is no authority present to give proper directions. A well-run ship will have a "muster station" where everyone needs to gather in preparation for evacuation. If you received a safety drill in going to a muster station, try to comply with it. - If you can't hear or understand the directions (for example, it's not your language), keep one thing in mind - head up and off the ship. Heading to the center or inner levels of the boat is not wise but don't be surprised if people do this as a result of [panic](https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Panic-Attacks "Stop Panic Attacks"). - If the captain assigns you with tasks, speak up if you don't feel you can comply. Otherwise, do your best to help out. 5. [![Step 5 Stay calm...](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/76/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-9.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-9.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-9.jpg) 5 [Stay calm](https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Calm-in-a-Stressful-Situation "Be Calm in a Stressful Situation") and don't panic. It may sound like an inevitable cliché, but the more you panic, the longer it will take to get to a lifeboat. Studies have shown that only about 15 percent of people manage not to panic, with a whopping 70 percent suffering from impaired reasoning and 15 percent becoming irrational.[\[6\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-6) X Research source Thus, staying calm is important for dealing with other passengers as well as helping to keep your own mind focused to do whatever you can to survive. If others around you are panicking, try as best you can to calm them down, as their actions will only slow down and possibly endanger your evacuation. Unfortunately, panic on a cruise is something that can endanger everyone owing to the number of people involved and this can lead people to push and shove one another, causing injuries before people have even left the ship.[\[7\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-7) X Research source - Be aware that the opposite spectrum of panic can kick in – that of being stunned and unable to respond at all.[\[8\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-8) X Research source - If you see someone frozen with fear, yell at them. This is what flight attendants are trained to do to get passengers to leave a burning plane, and can be adapted to a boat situation. - Try to focus on keeping your [breathing](https://www.wikihow.com/Breathe-Deeply "Breathe Deeply") under control. If you're used to breathing for yoga, pilates, or any similar relaxation breathing techniques, use these to calm you, as well as resorting to breathing this way if you end up in the water trying to survive.[\[9\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-9) X Research source 6. [![Step 6 Focus on escaping via the quickest route, not the shortest route.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d2/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-10.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-10.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-10.jpg) 6 Focus on escaping via the quickest route, not the shortest route. Getting out fast is more important than getting out by going the shortest way which might even lead you to more danger. As the ship begins to tilt, grab whatever you can to help you remain upright and able to reach your destination, such as handrails, pipes, hooks, light fittings, etc. - Do not take the elevator. Just as you should avoid elevators when escaping a fire, the same applies here; all electrically driven items are suspect. The last place you'll want to be on a sinking ship is [stranded in an elevator](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Stranded-Elevator "Escape a Stranded Elevator"). In most cases, there will be no electricity on the ship, and the ship's list angle will be too great for an elevator to properly function. - While still in the inner deck areas, watch for catapulting or floating objects coming your way. Large items hitting you can knock you unconscious or kill you. - Ships are equipped with emergency strip lighting that make it clear which way is the exit in the event of a fire. If the lighting changes color such as from green to red or direction such as straight to left, then this marks the exit route. 7. [![Step 7 Make your way to the deck.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/c/cf/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-11.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-11.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-11.jpg) 7 Make your way to the deck. From there, head to your emergency station or the nearest lifeboat available. Most of today's cruise liners run safety drills and procedures prior to departing on voyages so that passengers know where to go in the event of an emergency. If not, head to where it seems that the crew are assisting passengers to escape. Crew will usually be the last to abandon ship, as it is their duty to get everyone else off the ship to possible safety first. - Don't play the hero by staying back while crew is on board. Do what needs to be done to ensure that survival of yourself and your loved ones is not compromised. This isn't the movies. 8. [![Step 8 Find a lifeboat.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/9/97/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-12.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-12.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-12.jpg) 8 Find a lifeboat. The very best scenario is to enter a lifeboat without getting wet. The moment you're wet, you risk getting hypothermia or suffering from cold shock (see below). If lifeboats are already deployed, head for the best place to enter or jump into them, following instructions of crew if relevant. - If there are no lifeboats available, try to find a life preserver ring or similar flotation device and toss it into the water. Any flotation device is better than none, although your survival chances decrease dramatically once you're forced to spend time in the water. - You may need to [jump off the ship](https://www.wikihow.com/Survive-a-Long-Fall "Survive a Long Fall"), or in some cases, simply step off an incline. If there is a lifeboat nearby, [swim](https://www.wikihow.com/Swim "Swim") to it, wave your arms, and shout to attract attention. - If jumping, always look first. There may be people, boats, fires, propellers, etc., in the water below that you could hit or be submerged in. The ideal scenario is getting straight into a lifeboat. If not, the next best scenario is to jump as close to a rescue boat as possible and make your way into it immediately. 9. [![Step 9 Stay calm in the lifeboat.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a6/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-13.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-13.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-13.jpg) 9 Stay calm in the lifeboat. Follow directions, and wait for the rescue. Waiting alone in the open ocean without the comfort of a large ship will undoubtedly be frightening, but [be patient](https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Patient "Be Patient"). Help is on the way. - In a lifeboat, use rations sparingly. Use flares only when it is clear that doing so will result in a rescuer seeing you. Huddle together to keep warm. Arrange lookout watches. Collect rainwater and don't drink seawater or urine. Treat any injuries as best you can.[\[10\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-10) X Research source - Stay determined. Stories of survivors at sea are a testament that it is the most determined who survive harsh waiting conditions leading up to rescue. - If you couldn't find a lifeboat, look for the next best things, such as a life raft, or bobbing objects from the ship (flotsam) that remain afloat. 10. [![Step 10 Expect some harsh realities.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/8f/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-14.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-14.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-14.jpg) 10 Expect some harsh realities. If you don't end up in a lifeboat either straight away or fairly quickly, your survival odds worsen a great deal. The sea is cold and if it's rough, even the strongest swimmers will have a hard time defeating the cold and the sea swells. Inadequate amounts of lifeboats or lost lifeboats mean that there can be more people than space, causing more panic and even endangering the remaining lifeboats as people desperately cling to them or clamber on. - Being in cold water will cause [hypothermia](https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Hypothermia "Treat Hypothermia"). Hypothermia will cause you to want to sleep. If you fall asleep or fall unconscious, you risk [drowning](https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Drowning "Avoid Drowning"). - Cold shock is the kind of shock that comes from hitting cold water and being unable to control your breathing while your heart rate and blood pressure go up, immediately incapacitating you.[\[11\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-11) X Research source Cold shock can cause you to take an involuntary breath, which will often cause you to take in water.[\[12\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-12) X Research source While those who are used to entering cold water can tolerate this for initial few minutes required to regain your senses, many people are not able to do so and drown. This cold shock phenomenon occurs before hypothermia sets in. - Shock may set in, causing everything to become surreal and to prevent you from doing your best to survive. If shock doesn't set in, mental distress is a highly likely possibility, with nothing but water everywhere, right to the horizon, and not knowing when rescue will arrive. Try to prevent this by focusing on surviving, using mind games, counting, thinking about other people's needs, etc. - Your hands and fingers will become numb very quickly, making even doing up a lifejacket difficult, if not impossible. - Even in good weather, heatstroke, sunburn, and dehydration soon become an issue. Try to cover yourself up as best you can and ration water supplies carefully. - If you do survive, be ready for the reality that some of the people on the lifeboat with you may not. Seek counseling for [post-traumatic stress disorder](https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-Having-PTSD-$Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder$ "Deal With Having PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)") if needed. ## Community Q\&A Search [Add New Question]() - Question If the only thing left to do is jump from the sinking boat, which part is the best to jump from? ![Community Answer](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f2/CommunityAvatar3.png/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar3.png) Community Answer Jump from the part that is nearest the water so your fall is not as dangerous. If possible, ease into the water to avoid injuries. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even \$1 helps us in our mission. [Support wikiHow](https://www.wikihow.com/wikiHow:Contribute) [Yes](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [No](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Not Helpful 7](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Helpful 52](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) - Question What should I do if there are animals such as sharks in the water? Should I still jump into a lifeboat? ![Community Answer](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b0/CommunityAvatar2.png/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar2.png) Community Answer Okay, so weigh it up -- would you like to sink with the ship or have a chance of surviving in a lifeboat? Given that sharks aren't very attracted to human beings in a lifeboat, attempting to save yourself in the lifeboat is infinitely more preferable. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even \$1 helps us in our mission. [Support wikiHow](https://www.wikihow.com/wikiHow:Contribute) [Yes](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [No](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Not Helpful 13](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Helpful 74](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) - Question How do I escape a sinking ship with thousands of other passengers and no life jacket? ![Community Answer](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f5/CommunityAvatar4.png/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar4.png) Community Answer Try to get hold of a floating object. Make your way to a life boat if possible. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even \$1 helps us in our mission. [Support wikiHow](https://www.wikihow.com/wikiHow:Contribute) [Yes](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [No](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Not Helpful 7](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Helpful 35](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [See more answers](https://www.wikihow.com/Questions/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#offset=3) Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. [Submit]() Advertisement ## Tips - If you're a constant sea traveler for work or pleasure, consider preparing an "abandon ship" bag (also known as a "ditch bag", or a "flee bag").[\[13\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-13) X Research source While not cheap, having such a bag could increase your chances of survival. Make sure it's waterproof and has a wrist attachment. Include such things as water, food, flashlight, etc. It should be able to float when fully packed, and should also be waterproof. Thanks [Helpful 0](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Not Helpful 0](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) - The following table details your survival time in water:[\[14\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-14) X Research source Thanks [Helpful 0](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Not Helpful 0](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) - Rats can't tell the future; they abandon ship out of fear simply because they happen to be living where the water first starts filling the ship.[\[15\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-15) X Research source Nevertheless, if the rats are jumping, it's a sign the boat's taking on water\! Thanks [Helpful 0](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Not Helpful 0](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Show More Tips](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) \| Water Temperature \| Exhaustion or Unconsciousness \| Expected Survival Time \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| 70–80° F (21–27° C) \| 3–12 hours \| 3 hours – indefinitely \| \| ‘60–70° F (16–21° C) \| 2–7 hours \| 2–40 hours \| \| 50–60° F (10–16° C) \| 1–2 hours \| 1–6 hours \| \| 40–50° F (4–10° C) \| 30–60 minutes \| 1–3 hours \| \| 32\.5–40° F (0–4° C) \| 15–30 minutes \| 30–90 minutes \| \| \<32° F (\<0° C) \| Under 15 minutes \| Under 15–45 minutes \| [Show More Tips](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) #### Tips from our Readers ![](https://www.wikihow.com/extensions/wikihow/tipsandwarnings/images/question.svg) The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below. - Make sure to know the Morse code for SOS: three dots, three longer dashes, then three dots. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial [Submit](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) Thanks for submitting a tip for review\! Advertisement ## Warnings - Shark attacks in the open sea are rare; the only reason shark attacks make media headlines is because they are so rare. If sharks are circling or bumping your lifeboat, avoid panicking as it's very unlikely that it's more than curiosity. Thanks [Helpful 6](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Not Helpful 0](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) - Always attend to readying yourself before helping children. The rationale is that if you're appropriately dressed and able to float, etc., you'll have more strength to assist children in need of help. Older children can help younger children, especially if you remain calm and give orders methodically as part of a team effort to prepare for the escape. Thanks [Helpful 7](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Not Helpful 2](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) Advertisement ## Things You'll Need - Personal flotation device - Abandon ship bag - Lifeboat or life raft ## You Might Also Like [![Call Mayday from a Marine Vessel](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/fd/Call-Mayday-from-a-Marine-Vessel-Step-12.jpg/-crop-342-184-261px-Call-Mayday-from-a-Marine-Vessel-Step-12.jpg.webp) How to Call Mayday from a Marine Vessel ![](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/fd/Call-Mayday-from-a-Marine-Vessel-Step-12.jpg/-crop-342-184-261px-Call-Mayday-from-a-Marine-Vessel-Step-12.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Call-Mayday-from-a-Marine-Vessel) [![Float on Your Back](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/10/Float-on-Your-Back-Step-16-Version-2.jpg/-crop-342-184-245px-Float-on-Your-Back-Step-16-Version-2.jpg.webp) How to Float on Your Back 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& Staying Safe in Emergencies ![](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/02/Evacuate-a-Building-in-an-Emergency-Step-11-Version-2.jpg/-crop-342-184-245px-Evacuate-a-Building-in-an-Emergency-Step-11-Version-2.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Evacuate-a-Building-in-an-Emergency) Advertisement ## References 1. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-1) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship1.htm> 2. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-2) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship1.htm> 3. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-3) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2607ship.html> 4. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-4) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship3.htm> 5. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-5) Boat Safe, Procedure for Abandoning Ship, <http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/abandonship.htm> 6. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-6) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship3.htm> 7. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-7) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship3.htm> 8. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-8) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2607ship.html> 9. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-9) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2607ship.html> [More References (8)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#aiinfo) 1. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-10) Boat Safe, Procedure for Abandoning Ship, <http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/abandonship.htm> 2. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-11) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2607ship.html> 3. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-12) <http://www.ussartf.org/cold_water_survival.htm> 4. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-13) Doug Ritter, Abandon Ship Bag, <http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/abandon_ship.htm> 5. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-14) <http://www.ussartf.org/cold_water_survival.htm> 6. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-15) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship4.htm> 7. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-16) David Borgenicht and Trey Popp, The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors, p. 191, (2007), ISBN 10-0-8118-5827-8 8. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-17) David Borgenicht and Trey Popp, The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors, p. 195, (2007), ISBN 10-0-8118-5827-8 ## About This Article ![Ky Furneaux](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a4/Ky_Furneaux_.png/-crop-100-100-100px-Ky_Furneaux_.png) Reviewed by: [Ky Furneaux](https://www.wikihow.com/Author/Ky-Furneaux) Survival and Outdoors Expert This article was reviewed by [Ky Furneaux](https://www.wikihow.com/Author/Ky-Furneaux). Ky Furneaux is a survival expert, outdoor guide, and professional stuntwoman based in Australia. She’s been featured in over 100 films and TV productions, and has hosted, produced, and participated in some of the most extreme TV survival shows including MTV’s Made and Discovery’s Naked and Afraid. She has authored 5 survival books, including "The Superwoman’s Survival Guide" and "Survive: The All-In-One Guide to Staying Alive in Extreme Conditions", with the goal of sharing her knowledge of survival techniques with others. As an accomplished stuntwoman, she won a Taurus Award in 2012 for Best Female Stunt Performer and has doubled stars like Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Jaime Alexander, and Sharon Stone. This article has been viewed 368,672 times. 94 votes - 83% Co-authors: 55 Updated: April 20, 2025 Views: 368,672 Categories: [Featured Articles](https://www.wikihow.com/Category:Featured-Articles "Category:Featured Articles") \\| [Outdoor Safety](https://www.wikihow.com/Category:Outdoor-Safety "Category:Outdoor Safety") [Article SummaryX](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#summary_wrapper) Learning how to escape a sinking ship can save you in case of a water disaster. When you first get on a boat, you should check the location of life-jackets and life-boats, so you know where to go in case of an emergency. If you learn your ship is sinking, follow the instructions of the captain and crew and stay as calm as possible. Water will enter the bottom of the ship first, so make your way to the deck. Then, find a lifejacket and a lifeboat. If there aren’t lifeboats, find something that floats, like a reserver ring. If you need to jump off the boat, make sure there aren’t any propellers below you that could suck you in. To learn how to avoid hypothermia in the water, read on. Did this summary help you? 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I really understand these steps and got an A."..." [more](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [More reader stories](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Hide reader stories](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [Share your story](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) ## Did this article help you? Yes No [![](https://www.wikihow.com/images/c/c2/Horrormovie_bottom.jpg)![](https://www.wikihow.com/images/c/c2/Horrormovie_bottom.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Would-You-Survive-a-Horror-Movie?utm_source=wikihow&utm_medium=bottom&utm_campaign=horrormovie_quiz) Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our [cookie policy](https://www.wikihow.com/wikiHow:Cookie-Policy). ![Ky Furneaux](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a4/Ky_Furneaux_.png/-crop-100-100-100px-Ky_Furneaux_.png) Reviewed by: [Ky Furneaux](https://www.wikihow.com/Author/Ky-Furneaux) Survival and Outdoors Expert Co-authors: 55 Updated: April 20, 2025 Views: 368,672 83% of readers found this article helpful. 94 votes - 83% Click a star to add your vote ![Simran Merbay](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b0/CommunityAvatar2.png/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar2.png) Simran Merbay Mar 6, 2017 "I was doing my homework about the Titanic and the teacher told us to do steps to escape a sinking ship. I really understand these steps and got an A."..." [more](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) ![Melvin Sanchez](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f5/CommunityAvatar4.png/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar4.png) Melvin Sanchez Mar 31, 2017 "I have further information for my ESL students about this issue. Thanks a lot." ![Kieran Ceena](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f5/CommunityAvatar4.png/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar4.png) Kieran Ceena May 31, 2016 "When the ship sinks, I'll have a good chance of survival." ![Anonymous](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0a/CommunityAvatar1.png/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar1.png) Anonymous Apr 12, 2018 "It was a good to know how to survive a sinking ship. " ![Arnav Vaidya](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f2/CommunityAvatar3.png/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar3.png) Arnav Vaidya Apr 18, 2016 "It's very useful and informative." 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Readable Markdown	[![PDF download](https://www.wikihow.com/extensions/wikihow/socialstamp/images/icon-pdf.svg) Download Article](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) [![PDF download](https://www.wikihow.com/extensions/wikihow/socialstamp/images/icon-pdf.svg) Download Article](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) - [Learning the Basics: Before Setting Sail](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#Learning-the-Basics:-Before-Setting-Sail) - [Evacuating, if Sinking is Imminent](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#Evacuating.2C-if-Sinking-is-Imminent) - [Q\&A](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#qa_headline) - [Tips](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#tips) - [Warnings](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#warnings) - [Things You'll Need](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#thingsyoullneed) The odds of you being trapped on a sinking ship are extremely low thanks to today's advances in safety and technology. However, there are still occasional disasters such as with car and passenger ferries. Some of these accidents can occur when you're traveling in a country whose safety standards have been less stringently applied. If you should ever find yourself in this life-threatening situation, here are some suggestions to help improve your odds of survival, just in case. 1. [![Step 1 Understand the mechanics behind a sinking ship.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f6/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-1.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-1.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-1.jpg) While this is mainly for the sake of curiosity, understanding how a ship sinks can be useful and give you a sense of what occurs if you're ever stuck in the situation of being on a sinking ship. Every type of ship will react to taking on water and sinking differently depending on the shape of the hull, center of gravity, and cause of the casualty. No one set of rules works on all ship types. - Water often enters the lowest point of a ship first, the bilge area.[\[1\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-1) The bilges are pits in the lowest part of the engineering section. It's very normal for ships to have water leaking into the bilges. It comes in through sea chests, shaft bearings, or valve seals. Ships have bilge pumps to remove this water once it reaches a certain level. They are in the bilges to attack any eventual flooding as early as possible at the lowest possible level. However, this is not always a viable solution. Ships can sink from hitting another ship, an object such as an iceberg, a ruptured sea chest, or an attack. In the case of the Greek cruise liner MTS Oceanos the water entered through a ruptured overboard sewage discharge valve far from the bilges and erupted into the ship through commodes, sinks, and showers. There was no way the pumps could have helped. The Titanic had seams popped and split starting about 50 feet (15.2 m) from the starboard bow and flooded 6 compartments. The rest is history. There was just too much water for the pumps to discharge. The Lusitania was torpedoed and exploded twice. Both the MS Sea Diamond and the Costa Concordia ran aground and partially sank after hitting well marked reefs while sailing in good weather. There are many other famous examples. - Small boats will react differently than bigger ships. They are normally built, as much as possible, of buoyant materials. Reasons for why a boat might sink include a low transom, missing drain plugs, cooling system leaks, or openings either incorrectly closed or broken doors (such as on a car [ferry](https://www.wikihow.com/Drive-Your-Car-on-to-a-Ferry "Drive Your Car on to a Ferry")).[\[2\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-2) The broken doors are what sank the car ferry Estonia. 2. [![Step 2 Learn how the Estonia sank.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/5/5e/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-2.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-2.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-2.jpg) The stability of a ship depends, in part, on its center of gravity. In the case of the Estonia the car ferry took on water through a broken door. In that event, the rocking slowed down, which is a bad sign because a ferry that isn't rocking cannot stabilize itself.[\[3\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-3) With Trans-Oceanic ships the configuration is different. According to researcher Steve Zalek of the University of Michigan Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Department, Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory, studies done demonstrate that if the center of gravity is low the ship will rock quickly. Passengers will become seasick, cargo can break loose, and containers can be pitched into the sea, but if the center of gravity is higher the ship will rock more slowly. Passengers will be more comfortable, cargo won't break loose, and containers aren't pitched overboard. Rocking too much could cause a ship to keel over in heavy seas. The idea is that the ship would heel over to no more than 10° either way in order when the wheel is thrown hard over to maintain stability. Advertisement 3. [![Step 3 Check for the location of personal flotation devices.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0b/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-3.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-3.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-3.jpg) Ensure you do this as soon as you have boarded any sea vessel. Whether you're going on a short trip across the harbor, a day trip, or a cruise, knowing the location of the personal flotation device in advance may save your life. - When going on a cruise, part of the standard safety drill at the beginning will include asking you to check that your PFD is in the cabin space. Be sure to check for infant or child PFDs if also needed and alert crew immediately if these are not in place. In addition, look for the lifeboats nearest to your cabin, along with any obvious markers that might lead you to the boats if visibility becomes bad; as with aircraft, there will often be lights designating where safety exits are. - Read the instructions for putting on the personal flotation device and using it. If you have any questions, ask the ship's crew. - If you're traveling on a ship where the crew speaks a different language from your own, find people who can advise you directly on what to do in the event of an emergency. It is prudent to seek this information even before you board the ship. 4. [![Step 4 Think about your sense of etiquette.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d9/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-4.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-4.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-4.jpg) Although philosophical in nature, the question is: What will you do if push came to shove? Would you expect to see women and children off first, then men? Or is it everyone for themselves? This actually depends upon the laws of what national waters the ship is in first, and the flag registry or nation of ownership second. Women and children boarded lifeboats from the Titanic because she was in international waters, and flagged in England, whose laws demanded such action- and they had time to board lifeboats. However, Lusitania sank in 18 minutes, giving no one time to board life boats. 1. [![Step 1 Send out a Mayday if you're in charge of the sinking ship.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/1c/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-5.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-5.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-5.jpg) 2. [![Step 2 Listen for the evacuation signal.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/bd/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-6.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-6.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-6.jpg) This is standard – 7 short horn blasts followed by one long one.[\[4\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-4) The captain or other crew members may also use the intercom system to speak to all other crew and passengers. 3. [![Step 3 Put on your personal flotation device (PFD).](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/70/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-7.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-7.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-7.jpg) Be as prepared to exit the ship as time allows. If you have time to grab any additional survival items, do so. But only if doing so won't endanger your life or the lives of others. - If you have time, put on all your waterproof gear, such as headgear, jacket, and gloves.[\[5\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-5) If there is an emergency survival suit available and time permits, put it on. Note that while survival suits increase your chances of surviving in cold water, they are unlikely to be provided on passenger ships. For crew who have access to such suits, they will usually be required to practice putting on this suit within 2 minutes. - Attend to all infants, children, and pets after you've prepared yourself. - On a cruise ship, your life jacket is usually located in a cupboard near the entryway of your stateroom. Head straight to your stateroom, grab your life vest, take a small travel bag, put on something warm and comfortable, and only grab essential foods and medications. Then go straight to your designated muster station by following the emergency exit signs. 4. [![Step 4 Follow directions.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b7/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-8.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-8.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-8.jpg) This may be the most important step of all. If you don't know how to get to safety, the captain or one of the crew members will tell you how. Ship's crews are highly trained in rescue operations on many ships and will have a better understanding than you about what needs to be done to ensure your safety. You should only attempt to escape on your own if there is no authority present to give proper directions. A well-run ship will have a "muster station" where everyone needs to gather in preparation for evacuation. If you received a safety drill in going to a muster station, try to comply with it. - If you can't hear or understand the directions (for example, it's not your language), keep one thing in mind - head up and off the ship. Heading to the center or inner levels of the boat is not wise but don't be surprised if people do this as a result of [panic](https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Panic-Attacks "Stop Panic Attacks"). - If the captain assigns you with tasks, speak up if you don't feel you can comply. Otherwise, do your best to help out. 5. [![Step 5 Stay calm...](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/76/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-9.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-9.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-9.jpg) [Stay calm](https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Calm-in-a-Stressful-Situation "Be Calm in a Stressful Situation") and don't panic. It may sound like an inevitable cliché, but the more you panic, the longer it will take to get to a lifeboat. Studies have shown that only about 15 percent of people manage not to panic, with a whopping 70 percent suffering from impaired reasoning and 15 percent becoming irrational.[\[6\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-6) Thus, staying calm is important for dealing with other passengers as well as helping to keep your own mind focused to do whatever you can to survive. If others around you are panicking, try as best you can to calm them down, as their actions will only slow down and possibly endanger your evacuation. Unfortunately, panic on a cruise is something that can endanger everyone owing to the number of people involved and this can lead people to push and shove one another, causing injuries before people have even left the ship.[\[7\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-7) - Be aware that the opposite spectrum of panic can kick in – that of being stunned and unable to respond at all.[\[8\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-8) - If you see someone frozen with fear, yell at them. This is what flight attendants are trained to do to get passengers to leave a burning plane, and can be adapted to a boat situation. - Try to focus on keeping your [breathing](https://www.wikihow.com/Breathe-Deeply "Breathe Deeply") under control. If you're used to breathing for yoga, pilates, or any similar relaxation breathing techniques, use these to calm you, as well as resorting to breathing this way if you end up in the water trying to survive.[\[9\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-9) 6. [![Step 6 Focus on escaping via the quickest route, not the shortest route.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d2/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-10.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-10.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-10.jpg) Getting out fast is more important than getting out by going the shortest way which might even lead you to more danger. As the ship begins to tilt, grab whatever you can to help you remain upright and able to reach your destination, such as handrails, pipes, hooks, light fittings, etc. - Do not take the elevator. Just as you should avoid elevators when escaping a fire, the same applies here; all electrically driven items are suspect. The last place you'll want to be on a sinking ship is [stranded in an elevator](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Stranded-Elevator "Escape a Stranded Elevator"). In most cases, there will be no electricity on the ship, and the ship's list angle will be too great for an elevator to properly function. - While still in the inner deck areas, watch for catapulting or floating objects coming your way. Large items hitting you can knock you unconscious or kill you. - Ships are equipped with emergency strip lighting that make it clear which way is the exit in the event of a fire. If the lighting changes color such as from green to red or direction such as straight to left, then this marks the exit route. 7. [![Step 7 Make your way to the deck.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/c/cf/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-11.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-11.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-11.jpg) From there, head to your emergency station or the nearest lifeboat available. Most of today's cruise liners run safety drills and procedures prior to departing on voyages so that passengers know where to go in the event of an emergency. If not, head to where it seems that the crew are assisting passengers to escape. Crew will usually be the last to abandon ship, as it is their duty to get everyone else off the ship to possible safety first. - Don't play the hero by staying back while crew is on board. Do what needs to be done to ensure that survival of yourself and your loved ones is not compromised. This isn't the movies. 8. [![Step 8 Find a lifeboat.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/9/97/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-12.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-12.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-12.jpg) The very best scenario is to enter a lifeboat without getting wet. The moment you're wet, you risk getting hypothermia or suffering from cold shock (see below). If lifeboats are already deployed, head for the best place to enter or jump into them, following instructions of crew if relevant. - If there are no lifeboats available, try to find a life preserver ring or similar flotation device and toss it into the water. Any flotation device is better than none, although your survival chances decrease dramatically once you're forced to spend time in the water. - You may need to [jump off the ship](https://www.wikihow.com/Survive-a-Long-Fall "Survive a Long Fall"), or in some cases, simply step off an incline. If there is a lifeboat nearby, [swim](https://www.wikihow.com/Swim "Swim") to it, wave your arms, and shout to attract attention. - If jumping, always look first. There may be people, boats, fires, propellers, etc., in the water below that you could hit or be submerged in. The ideal scenario is getting straight into a lifeboat. If not, the next best scenario is to jump as close to a rescue boat as possible and make your way into it immediately. 9. [![Step 9 Stay calm in the lifeboat.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/a/a6/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-13.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-13.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-13.jpg) Follow directions, and wait for the rescue. Waiting alone in the open ocean without the comfort of a large ship will undoubtedly be frightening, but [be patient](https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Patient "Be Patient"). Help is on the way. - In a lifeboat, use rations sparingly. Use flares only when it is clear that doing so will result in a rescuer seeing you. Huddle together to keep warm. Arrange lookout watches. Collect rainwater and don't drink seawater or urine. Treat any injuries as best you can.[\[10\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-10) - Stay determined. Stories of survivors at sea are a testament that it is the most determined who survive harsh waiting conditions leading up to rescue. - If you couldn't find a lifeboat, look for the next best things, such as a life raft, or bobbing objects from the ship (flotsam) that remain afloat. 10. [![Step 10 Expect some harsh realities.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/8f/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-14.jpg/v4-460px-Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-14.jpg)](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#/Image:Escape-a-Sinking-Ship-Step-14.jpg) If you don't end up in a lifeboat either straight away or fairly quickly, your survival odds worsen a great deal. The sea is cold and if it's rough, even the strongest swimmers will have a hard time defeating the cold and the sea swells. Inadequate amounts of lifeboats or lost lifeboats mean that there can be more people than space, causing more panic and even endangering the remaining lifeboats as people desperately cling to them or clamber on. - Being in cold water will cause [hypothermia](https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Hypothermia "Treat Hypothermia"). Hypothermia will cause you to want to sleep. If you fall asleep or fall unconscious, you risk [drowning](https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Drowning "Avoid Drowning"). - Cold shock is the kind of shock that comes from hitting cold water and being unable to control your breathing while your heart rate and blood pressure go up, immediately incapacitating you.[\[11\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-11) Cold shock can cause you to take an involuntary breath, which will often cause you to take in water.[\[12\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-12) While those who are used to entering cold water can tolerate this for initial few minutes required to regain your senses, many people are not able to do so and drown. This cold shock phenomenon occurs before hypothermia sets in. - Shock may set in, causing everything to become surreal and to prevent you from doing your best to survive. If shock doesn't set in, mental distress is a highly likely possibility, with nothing but water everywhere, right to the horizon, and not knowing when rescue will arrive. Try to prevent this by focusing on surviving, using mind games, counting, thinking about other people's needs, etc. - Your hands and fingers will become numb very quickly, making even doing up a lifejacket difficult, if not impossible. - Even in good weather, heatstroke, sunburn, and dehydration soon become an issue. Try to cover yourself up as best you can and ration water supplies carefully. - If you do survive, be ready for the reality that some of the people on the lifeboat with you may not. Seek counseling for [post-traumatic stress disorder](https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-Having-PTSD-$Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder$ "Deal With Having PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)") if needed. Search [Add New Question]() - Question If the only thing left to do is jump from the sinking boat, which part is the best to jump from? ![Community Answer](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f2/CommunityAvatar3.png/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar3.png) Community Answer Jump from the part that is nearest the water so your fall is not as dangerous. If possible, ease into the water to avoid injuries. - Question What should I do if there are animals such as sharks in the water? Should I still jump into a lifeboat? ![Community Answer](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b0/CommunityAvatar2.png/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar2.png) Community Answer Okay, so weigh it up -- would you like to sink with the ship or have a chance of surviving in a lifeboat? Given that sharks aren't very attracted to human beings in a lifeboat, attempting to save yourself in the lifeboat is infinitely more preferable. - Question How do I escape a sinking ship with thousands of other passengers and no life jacket? ![Community Answer](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f5/CommunityAvatar4.png/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar4.png) Community Answer Try to get hold of a floating object. Make your way to a life boat if possible. [See more answers](https://www.wikihow.com/Questions/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#offset=3) Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. [Submit]() Advertisement - If you're a constant sea traveler for work or pleasure, consider preparing an "abandon ship" bag (also known as a "ditch bag", or a "flee bag").[\[13\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-13) While not cheap, having such a bag could increase your chances of survival. Make sure it's waterproof and has a wrist attachment. Include such things as water, food, flashlight, etc. It should be able to float when fully packed, and should also be waterproof. Thanks - The following table details your survival time in water:[\[14\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-14) Thanks - Rats can't tell the future; they abandon ship out of fear simply because they happen to be living where the water first starts filling the ship.[\[15\]](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_note-15) Nevertheless, if the rats are jumping, it's a sign the boat's taking on water\! Thanks [Show More Tips](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) \| Water Temperature \| Exhaustion or Unconsciousness \| Expected Survival Time \| \|---\|---\|---\| \| 70–80° F (21–27° C) \| 3–12 hours \| 3 hours – indefinitely \| \| ‘60–70° F (16–21° C) \| 2–7 hours \| 2–40 hours \| \| 50–60° F (10–16° C) \| 1–2 hours \| 1–6 hours \| \| 40–50° F (4–10° C) \| 30–60 minutes \| 1–3 hours \| \| 32\.5–40° F (0–4° C) \| 15–30 minutes \| 30–90 minutes \| \| \<32° F (\<0° C) \| Under 15 minutes \| Under 15–45 minutes \| [Show More Tips](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) #### Tips from our Readers ![](https://www.wikihow.com/extensions/wikihow/tipsandwarnings/images/question.svg) - Make sure to know the Morse code for SOS: three dots, three longer dashes, then three dots. Thanks for submitting a tip for review\! Advertisement - Shark attacks in the open sea are rare; the only reason shark attacks make media headlines is because they are so rare. If sharks are circling or bumping your lifeboat, avoid panicking as it's very unlikely that it's more than curiosity. Thanks - Always attend to readying yourself before helping children. The rationale is that if you're appropriately dressed and able to float, etc., you'll have more strength to assist children in need of help. Older children can help younger children, especially if you remain calm and give orders methodically as part of a team effort to prepare for the escape. Thanks Advertisement ## Things You'll Need - Personal flotation device - Abandon ship bag - Lifeboat or life raft ## References 1. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-1) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship1.htm> 2. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-2) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship1.htm> 3. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-3) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2607ship.html> 4. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-4) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship3.htm> 5. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-5) Boat Safe, Procedure for Abandoning Ship, <http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/abandonship.htm> 6. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-6) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship3.htm> 7. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-7) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship3.htm> 8. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-8) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2607ship.html> 9. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-9) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2607ship.html> 1. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-10) Boat Safe, Procedure for Abandoning Ship, <http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/abandonship.htm> 2. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-11) PBS, Escape: Because Accidents Happen: Abandon Ship, <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2607ship.html> 3. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-12) <http://www.ussartf.org/cold_water_survival.htm> 4. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-13) Doug Ritter, Abandon Ship Bag, <http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/abandon_ship.htm> 5. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-14) <http://www.ussartf.org/cold_water_survival.htm> 6. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-15) Charles W Bryant, How to Survive a Sinking Ship, <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/sinking-ship4.htm> 7. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-16) David Borgenicht and Trey Popp, The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors, p. 191, (2007), ISBN 10-0-8118-5827-8 8. [↑](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#_ref-17) David Borgenicht and Trey Popp, The Worst-Case Scenario Almanac: Great Outdoors, p. 195, (2007), ISBN 10-0-8118-5827-8 About This Article [Article SummaryX](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship#summary_wrapper) Learning how to escape a sinking ship can save you in case of a water disaster. When you first get on a boat, you should check the location of life-jackets and life-boats, so you know where to go in case of an emergency. If you learn your ship is sinking, follow the instructions of the captain and crew and stay as calm as possible. Water will enter the bottom of the ship first, so make your way to the deck. Then, find a lifejacket and a lifeboat. If there aren’t lifeboats, find something that floats, like a reserver ring. If you need to jump off the boat, make sure there aren’t any propellers below you that could suck you in. To learn how to avoid hypothermia in the water, read on. Did this summary help you? Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 368,672 times. Reader Success Stories - ![Simran Merbay](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f5/CommunityAvatar4.png/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar4.png) Simran Merbay Mar 6, 2017 "I was doing my homework about the Titanic and the teacher told us to do steps to escape a sinking ship. I really..." [more](https://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Sinking-Ship) ## Did this article help you?
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