Life can amaze you in the most unlikely of places and situations. If you are not destined to die, then no matter what happens to you, no matter how inevitable death seems, you will scrape through it and survive. I am sure you must have heard about situations where people have had a near death experience and have still managed to come out unscathed. These incidents are rightly termed as miracles!

We all know of the Titanic—how the ship that was never meant to sink, sank and killed hundreds of people. We have heard of many such incidents where ships have sunk and all those on board have lost their lives. History has witnessed several such tragedies. They have made headlines as people have lost their near and dear ones. Those who have read or heard about these tragedies have mourned for those who lost their lives in the accident. But have you ever heard of any incident where even after being underwater for more than two days, someone as miraculously survived? Doesn’t it sound next to impossible?

Well here is the story of Harrison Okene who survived miraculously after being underwater for more than two days. The tugboat of the Jascon 4 capsized off the coast of Nigeria. It was believed that every one of the twelve crew member were dead. After almost sixty two hours a rescue diver reached the spot to discover the miracle called Harrison Okene.

The experience of the rescue throughout his journey had been captured in a video footage. He reaches the tugboat and starts to search it. Suddenly a hand appears (which the diver thinks to be a dead person’s hand) and grabs the diver. As expected, the diver is shocked, and so is his supervisor who is up on the shore.

The diver then follows the hand to find the cook of the ship, Harrison Okene in an air pocket in the ship’s bathroom. The diver first reassures him and then instructs him to come out to the surface. This extremely calm 29 year old man who had been thirty meters underwater for almost two and half days followed the instruction and came out to the surface. Such was the story of survival of the young man.

Three of the Most Dangerous Boating Conditions

Being in water or being on the boat can be a very nice way to spend your day in summer. But you must remember that danger lurks in the most unlikely of places. There can be some very dangerous conditions while boating that can be fatal if you are not careful. However, if you are well prepared these situations can be very well avoided. Three of the most uncommon boating situations (although they can well avoided) are poisoning by carbon monoxide, electrocution and being stuck by a propeller.

Poisoning from carbon monoxide:

Carbon monoxide is the poisonous gas that is emitted as the by-product of the diesel combustion process in the engine. A boat that has an engine or a generator emits carbon monoxide and those who are on the boat can be exposed to it. As this gas has no color or odor, it is very difficult to detect it and it can turn fatal without any warning. To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC A-24) has passed a regulation that every boat must have carbon monoxide detectors. These detectors must be installed in places where people have gathered or would sleep. Look out for headache, blurred vision and dizziness as these are initial signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. If your boat is anchored with other boats, keep a watch in their generators and engine to see if there is any signs of carbon monoxide emission. Also, if your boat is anchored it is always better to keep the engines off. Keep the exhaust ports clear to emit carbon monoxide and keep checking the ports to make sure there is no leakage.

Electrocution:

Marinas are preferred by many boat owners as opposed to mooring them. The advantages that marinas offer cables, water and electricity ports to charge the boat’s battery, use the electricity to power appliances and lights. But this electricity can be a source of great hazard. The electrical current from the wiring in the dock and in the boat can cause electrocution by energizing the water around. Any person swimming nearby can be paralyzed by this electrocution and drown. This drowning is known as Electrical Shock Drowning (ESD). One way to avoid this hazard is by not letting swimmers swim near docks where electrical connections are provided. Also, ensure that all electrical works are done by marine electricians who have been certified by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC A-24). Before selecting the marina to anchor your boat for a long time, ensure you are absolutely sure about the electrical connections and its safety. Immediately report to the marina management if you see any gaps in the electrical connections like chaffing wires. It the duty of the boat owners as much as the marina management to ensure dock safety.

Propeller Safety:

Swimming and boating are like two sides of the same coin, they go hand in hand. But before you plunge into the water for a nice swim to enjoy the summer day, make sure your boat propeller has stopped completely and the boat is also turned off completely. To make your swimming near the boat safe ensure that all travelers know where the propeller is, the boat is completely turned off while getting on and off the boat. Before starting the boat make sure that no one is still in water. Also try to install propeller guards on the boat. Most importantly, stay alert while your boat is in water.