If someone is in distress at sea and another countries ship or vessel finds them and rescues them, what happens then?

[Kayla45]

Say for example a civilian fishing ship catches fire or sinks, but they're Canadian and the ones to come help are American. Would the ones in distress be taken to their home country after rescue?

[BoopBoopBeep]

Unless they claim asylum they'll go back to their home country, but that boat isn't obliged to take them there if it's going to be a punitive expense or logistically infeasible, and may not be allowed to do so if they don't have docking permission from that country. Fuel costs money, as a small operator I may not even have enough fuel on board to do that even if I wanted to. The U. S. Coast Guard will meet the vessel and transfer the personnel. I suspect the equivalent happens in other countries with whatever their Coast Guard equivalent is.

[NaultD]

Someone is distress at sea the closest vessel is obligated to help. If everyone is accounted for the helping vessel follows there intended course and port and from that port communication between countries take place.

A stranded sailor probably dosen't have there passport handy but that's understandable and things get figured out.

[Pete671]

perfectly said!

[NamerOfStars]

They'd probably be taken to the nearest safe port, given any needed medical attention, and then released or sent home, depending on the conditions of their ship. If it was from a hostile country- like, say, if a Soviet capsule landed in US territory during the Cold War- then it gets a little dicier.

[Astarlessnightsky]

In general they are towed to the nearest harbour and than return home when possible.

[Anonymous]

I'd imagine they're taken to the nearest port that can assist them.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

Maybe they get sent to the harbor that ship was going and put them under surveillance by the customs and ship them back to their home country along with the other goods they wanna return.

[jammcm]

In most cases the individual (s) will be delivered to the nearest port that the ship can dock. Arrangements can be made for them to be picked up at sea by the authorities of their country.

[Pete671]

nationality is not relevant at sea,,, nearest safe port,,,