Cadet overboard on Gorch Fock, presumed dead

[AntEater]

In her 50th year, my old ship seems to have a streak of bad luck.
First a sailing crew enlisted man manages to miss the deck and the pier on pierside training (only getting a soaking in Kiel harbor), now the middle watch loses a female cadet overboard in the north Sea.
Its been 17 hours now, so I fear they won't find her in time.
In that water temperature, you last only a few hours
Strange thing is, she didnt fall out of the tops or slipped while laying aloft, instead she simply went missing on watch.
Since nobody noticed, I gather she must've been bow or stern lookout.
On bow and stern lookout, nobody will notice your absence until your next semaphore singout, so if she went overboard directly after "All's well on the forecastle, lights are on", they might have not noticed it for half an hour.
If she was on lookout, at least she might be still afloat because if you fall overboard wearing your safety harness, you sink like a stone if you don't get rid of it.
I hope they can recover her...

They told us Gorch Fock never lost a man overboard, but I guess its a first time for everything, even though it was not a man.
Apparently the call is now "human overboard" anyway...