Merchant Shipping (Salvage and Wreck) Act, 1993

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General duty to render assistance to persons in danger at sea.

23.—(1) The master of a vessel shall, so far as can be done without serious danger to the vessel and persons thereon, render assistance to any person in danger of being lost at sea and, where there is a failure to so render assistance, the master shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) The owner of the vessel shall incur no liability for a failure by the master under subsection (1) to render assistance.

(3) Compliance by the master concerned with the provisions of subsection (1) shall not affect the right of that master or the right of any other person to salvage.

(4) Without prejudice to the giving of assistance, where appropriate, to the civil powers, the provisions of subsection (1) shall not apply to the commanding officer of a vessel of the Naval Service of the Defence Forces.