“And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,”
King James Version (KJV)
27:30 The sailors were attempting to flee out of the ship - Supposing the boat would go more safely over the shallows.
Ac 27:30-32 As the shipmen were about to flee. The sailors were about to take the boat, under false pretense, and abandon the ship. For the safety of all it was needful that they remain, in order to manage the ship when it was run ashore. Hence the centurion, at Paul's request (Ac 27:31), cut off the boat and let it drift away (Ac 27:32).