Duty to render assistance
1. Every State shall require the master of a ship flying its flag, in so faras he can do so without serious danger to the ship, the crew or the passengers:
(a) to render assistance to any person found at sea in danger ofbeing lost;
(b) to proceed with all possible speed to the rescue of persons indistress, if informed of their need of assistance, in so far as such action may reasonably be expected of him;(c) after a collision, to render assistance to the other ship, its crew and its passengers and, where possible, to inform the other shipof the name of his own ship, its port of registry and the nearest port at which it will call.
2. Every coastal State shall promote the establishment, operation and maintenance of an adequate and effective search and rescue service regardingsafety on and over the sea and, where circumstances so require, by way of mutual regional arrangements cooperate with neighbouring States for thispurpose
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea