3.11.5.1 ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN
A. Emergency Contingency Plan
In all instances of death on board, the Master should make immediate reference
to the vessel’s Emergency Contingency Plan.
B. Further actions to be taken
The Master should always consider seeking medical advice over the vessel’s
radio or other means of communication to ascertain how to establish with certainty
that the person is dead
the Master should seek instructions how to preserve the corpse –
if such instructions are not part of the procedures under the vessel’s
SMS
if the deceased is to be carried to the next port, the body should be
kept cool in an empty reefer compartment
if preservation is not possible for whatever reasons, the Master should
seek further instructions from the Company and the P&I insurer regarding
– deviating to land the body ashore if close to the coast, or
– burial at sea
the Company, the P&I insurer and the correspondent must be informed
if the Master decides to deviate, enabling them to assist and inform the relevant
authorities as required by the laws of the relevant country
if a burial at sea is permitted, the Master should seek advice from
the P&I insurers or local correspondent concerning any religious requirements
if in port or at anchor, call a doctor and/or the local correspondents
immediately, enabling them to assist and inform the authorities as required
by the laws of that particular country
all medical radio messages exchanged prior to the death should be recorded
the Company should be contacted requesting that the next of kin be informed
all personal effects of the deceased should be recorded and packed,
preferably in the presence of two officers, and delivered to the agent to be
sent to the Company together with a copy of the inventory list, for forwarding
to the next-of-kin
the correspondents should be requested to inform the deceased’s
local consulate
replacement of the crew member should be considered.