eli5 why are the chances of dying high when you fall into the ocean?

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2 American Navy Seals are declared deceased today after one fell into the Gulf of Aden and the second one jumped in in an attempt to rescue.

I live in a landlocked country. Never really experienced oceans or the water.

The 2 seals fell during the night time. Pitch black. But couldn’t they just yell and the other members could immediately shine a flashlight on them? I know I am missing something here.

Why are chances of surviving very slim when you fall into the ocean? I would assume you can still swim. Is the main cause of death that you will be drifted away by the ocean waves and cannot be located?

Would chances of survival significantly increase if you fell into the ocean during daytime? Surely even with the naked eye you can still see the victim before they are carried off by ocean waves?

Thank you.

In: Planetary Science

15 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Mmmmm.. US has a lot to lose if admitting to its best and brightest repelled by enemy fighters, I wouldn’t rule out the fact they were shot boarding, birthing a heroic fall and brotherly sacrifice coverup.
Hope I’m wrong, and regardless those men are heroes, and we owe them our freedom. Salute.

In other news, countless social workers labor to ensure homeless addicts have a safe place to sleep in the sub-zero tonight. Not Navy heroes, but ones saving lives all the same. Salute.

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