The practice of interment at sea has been used for millennia. It’s a customary manner to bid farewell to someone who has a strong bond with the ocean. The procedure entails releasing the body into the water after placing it in a weighted bag. What transpires to a body buried at sea, though? What you should know is as follows.
Just like any other body, a person’s body buried at sea will gradually decay. Decomposition occurs differently in the ocean, though. The bones will eventually be dispersed across the ocean floor after the body is consumed by marine life. Depending on a number of variables, including water temperature, water pressure, and the presence of predators, the decomposition process can take anywhere from a few months to a few years.
Burial at sea may appear to be a reasonable alternative for people seeking for a funeral service that is affordable. Depending on where it is held and the services offered, a traditional funeral might cost anywhere from $7,000 to $10,000 or more on average. Prices for a sea burial can be far less expensive, starting at about $2000, depending on the region and particular needs. The next of kin is often in charge of paying for the funeral in the UK. However, the local council is responsible for paying for the funeral if the dead had no family or if that family is financially unable to do so. The council will plan the deceased’s basic funeral, which typically consists of a straightforward coffin, transportation, and burial or cremation.
For individuals who have given their nation their all, the military also provides marine burials. For marine burials, the US Navy, for instance, has special guidelines and procedures. The ritual features a firing squad, a chaplain, and the playing of Taps. The body is placed in an elaborate casket before being lowered into the water.
The number of bodies in the water cannot be known. The number of shipwrecks in the world’s oceans is thought to be over a million, and many of them still contain bodies. The number of human remains in the water has increased as a result of the widespread practice of scattering loved ones’ ashes in the ocean.
Finally, burying a loved one at sea is a special and heartfelt way to say farewell to someone who had a connection to the water. The body will eventually decay and become a part of the ocean’s ecology, even if the process is different there. For individuals looking for a less expensive funeral choice than traditional funerals, it is also a cost-effective solution. Additionally, the military offers sea burials, and while the precise amount of human remains in the ocean is unclear, it is thought to be sizable.