Final answer:
The characters George and Marco likely struggled to get on a lifeboat due to exhaustion, challenging conditions, and lack of rescue support in a shipwreck scenario.
Step-by-step explanation:
George and Marco, presumptive characters from the excerpts provided, could not get on a lifeboat likely due to the adverse conditions and struggles they faced during a shipwreck situation.
The narrative suggests that exhaustion, lack of help from other boats, and psychological turmoil played significant roles in hindering the characters' ability to ensure their safety.
External factors such as the sea's ferocity, their physical and mental exhaustion, and the apparent absence of rescue efforts contributed to the dire scenario they found themselves in.