The Lifesling saves lives! Lifesling is Coast Guard approved and works better than a ring buoy or horseshoe buoy because:
It can be towed to the overboard crewmember, rather than the crewmember having to swim to it—this eliminates the danger of the crewmember coming in contact with the hull and propeller
It can be used as a lifting sling if the crewmember needs help out of the water
The Lifesling system consists of a flotation collar which is a blend of the traditional horseshoe buoy and a helicopter rescue sling.