Keep a sharp lookout
A request to every ship in the area to watch for the vessel, people or object described.
"VESSELS IN VICINITY REQUESTED TO KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT, ASSIST IF POSSIBLE" is the standard closing of search-and-rescue broadcasts, and it also appears in warnings about derelicts and debris. It turns every ship passing through into a searcher.
The request has force behind it: under SOLAS Chapter V, regulation 33, a master who receives information that persons are in distress at sea is obliged to proceed to their assistance if able to do so. seahazards publishes distress and casualty broadcasts only after the case has been closed for 30 days.
What the archive shows
28,264 messages in this archive use “Keep a sharp lookout”, the earliest issued 1995-07-19 and the latest 2026-09-19. 1 of them is in force in the latest lists we collected. A hazard reported again and again counts once per message.
The largest yearly count is 2017, with 1,962 messages. Collection is incomplete between 2024-05 and 2026-08-17, so 2024, 2025 and 2026 are not comparable with fully collected years.
Incidents accounts for 26,023 of 28,264 recorded messages (92%), the largest warning type group in this selection.
Located messages that use it fall in 84 sea areas; the most frequent are North Pacific Ocean (4,564), South China Sea (3,901) and North Atlantic Ocean (3,055).
Its use is spread fairly evenly through the year: the busiest month, December, has 2,549 messages and the quietest, February, 2,103.
By warning series: HYDROPAC 18,908, HYDROLANT 8,671, NAVAREA IV 399 and NAVAREA XII 165, and 3 more.
Messages using it, by year of issue
By month of issue, all years
Where it appears · 84 sea areas
- North Pacific Ocean 4,564
- South China Sea 3,901
- North Atlantic Ocean 3,055
- South Pacific Ocean 2,033
- Mediterranean Sea - Eastern Basin 1,744
- South Atlantic Ocean 1,566
- Indian Ocean 1,563
- Philippine Sea 1,205
- Coral Sea 1,131
- Caribbean Sea 673
- Arabian Sea 562
- Gulf of Mexico 497
In force now · 1
- NAVAREA X 99/26 · Wrecks · Bismarck Sea2026-09-06 · in force
…TRANSITING THE BISMARCK SEA IN VICINITY OF CAPE GLOUCESTER ARE REQUESTED TO MAINTAIN A SHARP LOOKOUT AND NAVIGATE WITH EXTREME CAUTION. REPORT ANY DIRECT VISUAL OBSERVATIONS, RADAR TARGETS,…
All ships transiting the bismarck sea in vicinity of cape gloucester are requested to maintain a sharp… →
How it reads in recent messages
- HYDROPAC 2723/26 · Spills · Mozambique Channel2026-09-19
…OIL SPILLAGE REPORTED 191045Z IN 18-44.91S 040-32.81E. VESSELS REQUESTED TO KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT.
Oil spillage reported 191045Z in 18-44.91S 040-32.81E → - NAVAREA 7 266/26 · Spills · Mozambique Channel2026-09-19
…REPORTED AT THE FOLLOWING POSITION 4. 18 - 44.91 S 040 - 32.81 E 5. VESSELS TO KEEP SHARP LOOKOUT AND REPORT ANY SIGHTINGS TO MRCC 6. UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE © copyright SAN 2020 | ^ back…
NAVAREA VII 266 of 2026 : (19 sep 26) 1. indian ocean - sw sector - mozambique channel 2. charts san 1, 3 3.… → - HYDROPAC 2557/26 · Derelicts · Bismarck Sea2026-09-06
…AGROUND IN 05-21.39S 148-54.14E AT 060627Z SEP. VESSELS IN VICINITY REQUESTED TO KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT AND EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION. REPORTS TO PNGMRCC, E-MAIL: PNGMRCC@NMSA.GOV.PG.
Papua new guinea → - HYDROPAC 2472/26 · Other · South China Sea2026-08-29
…SIX PERSONS HOLDING JERRY CAN IN WATER. VESSELS IN VICINITY REQUESTED TO KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT, ASSIST IF POSSIBLE. REPORTS TO MRCC VIETNAM, EMAIL:HPLES-GMDSS@HPLES.COM.VN .
F/V sg 66014 ts sunk in 10-02.08N 106-57.98E → - HYDROPAC 2423/26 · Incidents · South China Sea2026-08-24
…ON WATER IN 09-43.00N 108-33.00E AT 240530Z AUG. VESSELS IN VICINITY REQUESTED TO KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT, ASSIST IF POSSIBLE. REPORTS TO MRCC VIETNAM, EMAIL: HPLES-GMDSS@HPLES.COM.VN.
F/V bv 99079 ts, 15 persons on board, taking on water in 09-43.00N 108-33.00E at 240530Z aug → - HYDROLANT 1604/26 · Incidents · South Atlantic Ocean2026-08-18
…20 PERSON LIFE RAFT ADRIFT IN VICINITY 25-56.50S 012-50.40E ON 18 AUG. VESSELS TO KEEP SHARP LOOKOUT AND REPORT SIGHTINGS TO CAPE TOWN RADIO AND MRCC CAPE TOWN. 2. CANCEL THIS MSG 211455Z…
Derelict 20 person life raft adrift in vicinity 25-56.50S 012-50.40E on 18 aug → - HYDROPAC 2366/26 · Incidents · South China Sea2026-08-18
…JHFA IN 06-21.23N 103-55.05E AT 151500Z AUG. VESSELS IN VICINITY REQUESTED TO KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT, ASSIST IF POSSIBLE. REPORTS TO MRCC VIETNAM, EMAIL: HPLES-GMDSS@HPLES.COM.VN.
Man overboard from vessel bot pukat jerut jhfa in 06-21.23N 103-55.05E at 151500Z aug →
Earliest in the archive
- HYDROLANT 1360/95 · Incidents · North Atlantic Ocean1995-07-19
…IN VICINITY 33-09N 025-30W AT 191027Z JUL. VESSELS IN VICINITY REQUESTED TO KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT, ASSIST IF POSSIBLE. REPORTS TO NEAREST COASTAL RADIO STATION.
Man overboard in vicinity 33-09N 025-30W at 191027Z jul →
Often in the same message
Related terms
- Assist if possible
- The second half of the standard rescue request: ships able to help are asked to do so.
- RCC / JRCC (Rescue Coordination Centre)
- The centre that organises search and rescue in its region; warnings ask ships to send their reports there.
- Man overboard
- Someone has gone into the water from a vessel; ships in the area are asked to look for them.
- Overdue vessel
- A vessel has not arrived when expected and has not been heard from; ships are asked to look out for it.
Warning types that use it
- Incidents — Search-and-rescue broadcasts, published only once a case has been closed for 30 days: groundings, sinkings, capsizes, fires, man overboard, overdue vessels. Nothing here is live.
Counts cover the messages in this archive that use the term, recounted 2026-09-24; see coverage for what is collected and since when. Not for navigation — follow official NAVAREA and coastal broadcasts.