The term 'ABANDONS AT SEA' can be summarized as the act of marooning someone, which is the practice of leaving a person on an island or other remote location with limited or no resources. Marooning was historically used as a form of punishment for sailors who had committed a crime or were otherwise deemed unfit to remain on board a ship. This practice was especially common during the Age of Sail, when ships were often at sea for long periods of time and resources were scarce.