§10703 Procedures of Masters

Summary

When a seaman dies, the ship’s master must protect the seaman’s money, property, and wages. If the ship is going to the United States, the master must deliver those items when the seaman’s agreement ends, under section 10706. If the ship stops at a foreign port, the master must tell the first available consular officer. The officer can require delivery, must give a receipt and note it on the agreement, and the master must later give that receipt to a United States district court. If the officer does not require delivery, the officer must note that on the agreement and the master must handle the items under section 10706. Any deduction from a deceased seaman’s account is valid only if it is properly entered in the official ship logbook.