Are freighters ever used for search and rescue?

[woland]

A friend, whose dad was in the navy and who himself was in the coast guard told me when Naomi appeared in season that freighter vessels are never used for search and rescue. So is this another sign that Naomi was lying? Or is it another sign that the freighties came for something other than rescuing the losties? Or is it a production error in service of the plot?

[Warne]

Definitely not a production error, I think we all know that there is something more to it then Naomi's people just wanting to rescue the survivors of 815.


Very minor spoiler:

Spoiler:

they even mention it in the teaser for season 4

[Eight]

Originally Posted by woland

A friend, whose dad was in the navy and who himself was in the coast guard told me when Naomi appeared in season that freighter vessels are never used for search and rescue. So is this another sign that Naomi was lying? Or is it another sign that the freighties came for something other than rescuing the losties? Or is it a production error in service of the plot?

WO-

I think you just proved that the freighties are the Dharma Initiative!!!

I agree with you that they don't use freighters to do search and rescue. And as Charlie, Ben and Locke believe they are not who they say they are -- Naomi lied.

So why would a freighter be looking for the island?

TO MAKE A DHARMA INITIATIVE PALLET DROP, WHICH HASN'T BEEN DONE IN A WHILE BUT THEY CAN'T RELOCATE THE ISLAND. ALSO THEY'VE BE FOREWARNED THAT THE HOSTILES HAVE TAKEN OVER.

Freighters carry freight, such as huge pallets of supplies.

[woland]

I don't know if they're Dharma. But the only reason I can think to use a freighter is for a large scale effort to take over the island. A freighter in addition to holding massive ammounts of equipment can hold hundreds of people, enough for an invasion.

Spoiler:

I think that Naomi and the four new freightiesare only the first wave.

[Scribe]

To answer the question, yes a freighters are occasionally used for S&R. If a ship or plane is reported missing in an area any assets in the area will respond, whether that be a fishing trawler or a freighter.

The question is though, why/how would a freighter have more than one helicopter? My bet is its loaded for bear, because its Dharma.

[woland]

Shouldn't the losties automatically doubt the freighter if, as Naomi said wreckage said to be 815, was found at the ocean floor. If the world thinks that was the plane, then why would the freighter be looking for them. I know she said she was looking for Desmond but still, it just doesn't jibe.