Distress, Safety and Urgency Calls.

Distress calls should be transmitted on VHF radio using Channel 16. This channel should only be used for distress, safety and urgency calls.

Mayday. The Mayday distress call should only be used in the direst of circumstances. That is when there is Grave and Imminent danger to a vessel or a person and immediate assistance is required. A Mayday call imposes a general radio silence on channel 16 until the emergency is over.

The following procedure should be used. Always allow time before repeating the call.
If there is an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) on board, it should always be activated when a Mayday call is made.

  • MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY.
  • This is (vessels name three times).
  • MAYDAY (vessels name).
  • State position (see note opposite.).
  • State nature of distress.
  • State what assistance is required.
  • Give any other relevant information.
    i.e. Number of people on board.
  • Over

Do not forget to turn on the power, and the radio. Set to channel 16. Press the transmission button and speak slowly and clearly.

Position must be given in latitude and longitude; or as a true bearing from a well defined charted position with the distance from it.

'Over' means please reply. Do not forget to release the transmission button.

Pan-Pan. The Pan-Pan call is used to transmit an urgent message regarding the immediate safety of a vessel or a crew member. It has priority over all radio traffic except Mayday calls. This call is usually used in cases of injury, serious illness or a man overboard.

The following procedure should be used.

  • All Ships.
  • PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN.
  • This is (vessel's name three times)
  • State position
  • State nature of urgency.
  • State assistance required.
  • Over

After receiving a response, you should make arrangements to transfer to a working channel to deal with the problem. Leaving channel 16 free incase another emergency should arise.

This call informs everyone in the vicinity that you have a problem, without launching the rescue services.

Security. The Security call is usually made by shore based stations to warn of navigational hazards, or impending treacherous conditions.

The following procedure is normally used.

  • SECURITY, SECURITY, SECURITY.
  • This station /vessel (name).
  • Safety message.
  • Over.

For clarity, Security is pronounced
'say-cure-ee-tay.'

The word 'Out' is only used at the end of a conversation, not between statements.

Links to other relevant information.     Phonetic Alphabet      Morse Code.      Sound signals.      Signal Flags.      Signal Flags 2.