The German State Investigation Agency for Maritime Accident Investigation (BSU) strongly recommended that the government introduce the obligation to wear a reflective jacket as soon as it leaves the port, regardless of the weather conditions and the type of weather The boat on which you are sailing, or the fact that you are sailing in protected waters or in the ocean.
The recommendation came from the BSU’s investigation into a deadly accident in 2015 to a crew made up of two professional skippers who had rented a 14-meter vintage boat, Desdemona, to two less experienced people. The Desdemona had come out for a sailing on a day of low wind and good sea.
The average wave was no more than a meter high and everything was fine when a higher wave of the others slipped one of the passengers at the center of the boat at the height of the tree. The man who did not wear the safety clothing was able to take the hand of one of the professionals who, however, did not make it to him and let him go. The crew promptly sailed the sails and turned on the engine. The visibility was great and everything seemed to be settled with a nice bath in slightly cold water (16 °) that would have caused a cool cold.
The two maneuvered to approach the man and launched a top that he was able to catch and tied to his hand, but this was over at sea because the skippers had forgotten to tie a head to the boat and the boat, They simply leaned on the deck.
The two skippers redirected the maneuver again and tried to launch a life buoy but this time they did not succeed.
When they finally managed to recover the man, there was nothing left to do, he was dead.
The autopsy determined that the victim had a heart problem that underwent that stress has surrendered.
Introducing the obligation to dress the safety vest always in summer and winter with bad weather and perfect time is probably not the solution to such things that would instead need better preparation for the professionals on board the chartered boats, but even so, against the superficiality of some people, unfortunately, there is no defense.