33 USC § 1478 - Personal, flag state, and foreign state considerations

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t33/s1478"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "33 USC § 1478 - Personal, flag state, and foreign state considerations"
title_number: 33
title_name: "NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS"
section_number: "1478"
section_name: "Personal, flag state, and foreign state considerations"
chapter_number: 28
chapter_name: "POLLUTION CASUALTIES ON THE HIGH SEAS: UNITED STATES INTERVENTION"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 93–248, § 9, Feb. 5, 1974, 88 Stat. 9.)"
---


# § 1478. Personal, flag state, and foreign state considerations

In the direction and conduct of measures under this chapter the Secretary shall use his best endeavors to—

**(1)** assure the avoidance of risk to human life;

**(2)** render all possible aid to distressed persons, including facilitating repatriation of ships’ crews; and

**(3)** not unnecessarily interfere with rights and interests of others, including the flag state of any ship involved, other foreign states threatened by damage, and persons otherwise concerned.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 93–248, § 9, Feb. 5, 1974, 88 Stat. 9.)