The invention discloses a manipulator for sea rescue. The manipulator comprises a support, an arm mechanism, a grasping mechanism and an inflating mechanism, wherein the inflating mechanism comprises air cushions, a guide pipe and an air pump; each air cushion is laid on the inner side surface of each gripper; the air pump is connected with the air cushions through the guide pipe in a conducting manner; when the grasping mechanism grasps an object, the air cushions are inflated by the air pump to control the object grasping tightness of the grasping mechanism. The manipulator for sea rescue can be directly and quickly used for lending a 'helping hand' for a person falling into the sea for rescue, and has the characteristics of being quick, accurate and controllable; as the air cushions are laid on the inner side surfaces of the grippers, damage to the object by the grippers in the grasping rescue process is prevented; the expansion degrees of the air cushions can be controlled by the air pump, so that the air cushions are suitable for different-shape persons falling into the sea, and the object grasping tightness of the grippers of the grasping mechanism can be effectively adjusted.