What are a few ways people get lost at sea?

Answer 1

People can get lost at sea if:

• their small boat cannot handle big waves
• their boat gets a leak in it
• their boat breaks down mechanically
• their boat hits a reef
• ocean floating garbage, especially plastics or fish netting, fouls the propeller
• a fisherman on board fouls the propeller
• a rouge wave overturns the boat
• a huge storm overturns the boat
• a whale jumps out of the water in an act called breaching so they can see above the water, and lands accidentally on the boat (recently happened to a yacht)
• the crew got lost, couldn't read charts
• another bigger ship runs into a smaller boat and either doesn't notice or flees the scene
• the captain forces passengers overboard
• the passengers fall overboard
• they might have dropped their compass in the ocean

and so, there is noway to get back to the dock.