Pretty simple answer really - these things usually happen at night. There's a much higher chance of spotting a tanker during daylight. It's surprisingly diffi

Pretty simple answer really - these things usually happen at night. There's a much higher chance of spotting a tanker during daylight. It's surprisingly difficult to see someone in the water during the day - there's less body sticking out of the water, than there are waves to hide it. At night? No-one wants to admit it, but you're a lost cause before you hit the water. The other half of your problem is that missing doesn't mean MOB. In the relatively recent Fitzgerald incident, those lost were found in a sealed compartment. Pretty much damage-control 101 to seal any compartment you can, and especially those breached. While locking people in a flooded compartment has to be a gutwrenching decision to make, the alternative is to allow a compartmentalized breach to take the whole crew.