Emergency help — by symptom
Crisis pages indexed by what you are experiencing, not by what is happening on the ship. Each entry leads with the first three actions, then the evidence to save, then the escalation chain. Read in 30 seconds. Act in the next hour.
What is happening?
- Unpaid wages
Wages late or short. The first 24 hours decide whether you collect what you're owed or chase it through court for years.
- Abandonment
Wages unpaid 2+ months, repatriation refused, or food / water / accommodation / medical care below MLC standard. Abandonment is an emergency.
- Contact lost
Written for the family side. A seafarer hasn't been in touch when they normally would be. Calm + systematic escalation in the first 72 hours.
- Medical help
Seafarer injured or ill onboard. Get the Master + TMAS engaged immediately; document everything for the inevitable insurance + repatriation conversation.
- Piracy / security
Suspected or actual piracy, armed robbery, or security incident. Report immediately to IMB + the relevant regional coordination centre.
- Repatriation delay
Contract ended (or due to end), the owner is refusing or delaying repatriation. MLC Regulation 2.5 + Standard A2.5.1 give you the right.
- Unsafe conditions
Vessel is operating in conditions that endanger crew or environment. Stop-work authority + ISM Code path.
- Family emergency
Serious illness, accident, or death in the family. MLC A2.5.1 covers owner-paid sign-off for compelling family reasons.
- Mental health crisis
Suicidal thoughts, severe depression, panic attacks, or substance crisis. You are not alone — confidential 24/7 help is available.
- Injury onboard
Crew member injured at work. Care first, claim second — but both matter. Documentation in the first hours decides what's recoverable later.