Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a person in a body of water includes a transmitter for generating an electrical swept frequency signal having a frequency that continuously varies between upper and lower limits, at least one pair of transducers disposed in a body of water including a transmitting transducer connected to receive the swept frequency signal for launching a beam of acoustical waves in response to the swept frequency signal in the body of water and a receiving transducer disposed opposite the transmitting transducer for receiving the acoustical waves and for converting received acoustical waves into an electrical received signal, and a receiver connected to the receiving transducer for producing a detected signal in response to the received signal, for producing a threshold signal in response to the detected signal, and for initiating an alarm when the detected signal falls below the threshold for at least a predetermined length of time.