Apparently (I’m not a scholar but was curious) in dire situations that require immediate action they could’ve prayed while helping out, even shortening it out as long as the short (verbal?) prayer is done in honesty and the situation absolutely demands it. Apparently it’s even outright disallowed to not safe yourself or others during life-and-death situations even if it prevents you from the mandatory prayer because preserving people’s lifes and your own tops those rules, at least that’s what I read so far. If that boat story is actually true that person probably was a dipshit who happened to break his own religion’s rules.

Also looked up fasting: There seems to be even more leeway on that. Just do it later if you can’t do it right now due to illness or similar, or pay “fidyah” (give poor people money for food). Though I’m kinda curious how it’s handled when someone is too old to fast but also poor as fuck, not a situation where you’d want to also feel guilty about this.