A lifeboat is a small watercraft carried on a ship to provide a means of emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster aboard the ship. Lifeboats may be rigid or inflatable vessels; the inflatable type are sometimes referred to as liferafts. In the military, a lifeboat may be referred to as a whaleboat, dinghy, or gig. The ship's tenders of modern cruise ships are often designed to double as lifeboats and "lifeboat drills" are a part of the cruise experience. Inflatable lifeboats may be equipped with auto-inflation canisters or mechanical pumps. A quick release and pressure release mechanism is fitted on board ships so that the canister or pump automatically inflates the lifeboat, and the lifeboat breaks free of the sinking vessel. Commercial aircraft are also required to carry auto-inflating life rafts in case of an emergency water landing, and are also kept on offshore platforms.

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