A system and method involving a line capture device (10) and a flotation apparatus (49), the line capture device (100) having a body (14), at least one line retainer, each line retainer having a line retainer portion (16) and a latching portion (28), for retaining a portion of a captured line (12), and a capturing line (20) extending from the body (14) for pulling the device (10), the captured line (12), and a secondary object, e.g., a victim (40), back to a rescuer, the flotation apparatus (49) having a safety flotation vest (50) housing a deployable flotation device (42) and a deployable line (12) to be captured.