The Rambam writes [Shabbos 2-7]:
So if you TRIED to save a life even if it wasn't necessary and you did a Melacha you are cool.
Then the Rambam writes [2-16]:
שמע שטבע תינוק בים ופרש מצודה להעלותו והעלה דגים בלבד פטור מכלום.
Same principle!!! He tried to save a life, instead was מחלל שבת and he is off the hook. Why did the Rambam have to tell us the same thing twice?
Also, in הלכה י"ז the Rambam says that when saving a life one need not receive רשות from the בית דין. Now the whole perek is talking from the beginning about saving lives on Shabbos, so why did the Rambam wait until הלכה ט"ז to tell us a Halacha that he should have told us at the beginning??!!
