If it was German flagged, Lookout is only required after sunset and before sunrise.
What was missing here was a dead man alarm, which would've informed the next officer and/or eventually the captain. Unless he ran aground before the 10 or 15 minute window of the alarm expired.
ostapack t1_j1npak2 wrote
Reply to comment by Necrid1998 in TIL that in 2003, the chief officer of the German-owned cargo ship RMS Mülheim got into difficulties while on watch. His trousers caught in his chair mechanism and while trying to free himself he tripped and knocked himself unconscious. The ship grounded on rocks while he was out and later broke up by YalsonKSA
If it was German flagged, Lookout is only required after sunset and before sunrise.
What was missing here was a dead man alarm, which would've informed the next officer and/or eventually the captain. Unless he ran aground before the 10 or 15 minute window of the alarm expired.