What should you always do when a person falls overboard?

When a person falls overboard, it is crucial to have someone keep the victim in sight to ensure their safety and facilitate an effective rescue. This allows for proper situational awareness, enabling others on board to monitor the victim's condition and position in the water. By maintaining visual contact, it helps to coordinate the rescue efforts, such as maneuvering the boat to retrieve the person safely and efficiently.

Jumping into the water without ensuring that the victim is monitored can lead to additional danger for both the rescuer and the person in distress, as untrained individuals may struggle in the water. Driving away to seek help is also not advisable, as this could increase the distance from the victim and potentially put them at greater risk. Simply throwing a weight could be ineffective and does not ensure a safe recovery for the individual in the water. Therefore, keeping the victim in sight is the most effective and safest action to take in this emergency situation.