The lifeboats needed men to do the rowing; if there was not an available member of the crew, a male passenger was required to do their duty.

救生船上需要男人来划船，如果没有船员在现场的话，男乘客就可以担起这一重任。

youdao

It carried pilot Amelia Earhart and just one male crew member, navigator Fred Noonan.

VOA: special.2010.05.26