3. (Part 3) distress, urgency and safety procedures

3.1 INTRODUCTION

General

Distress communications should be conducted in accordance with the procedures outlined below. These procedures do not, however, prevent a station in distress from making use of any means at its disposal to attract attention to make known its position, and to obtain help.

Frequencies to Be Used

The first transmission of the distress call and message by a vessel should be on the distress, calling and answering frequency of Channel 16, 156.800 MHz (VHF). If no response is heard on this frequency, the use of any other available frequency in an effort to obtain assistance is permitted.

Control of Distress Traffic

The control of distress traffic is the responsibility of the vessel in distress or of the station that relays the distress message. These stations may, however, delegate the control of distress traffic to another station such as a Coast Guard Radio Station. During many distress situations, Coast Guard Radio Stations control distress traffic. Their powerful coastal transmitters can be readily heard by other ship and land stations over a wide area.

Distress Signal

Some years ago, the Canadian Coast Guard included "a person" when discussing the use of the MAYDAY signal in their film "IT'S GOOD FOR LIFE". Under the new ITU regulations for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) in the section entitled Distress Alert it states: "The transmission of a distress alert indicates that a mobile unit or a person is in distress and requires immediate assistance."

In radiotelephony, the spoken word for distress is MAYDAY. The distress signal indicates that the station sending the signal is:

1. threatened by grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance, or

2. aware that a ship, aircraft or other vehicle is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance.

Distress Call

The distress call will only be sent on the authority of the person in command of the station. The distress call should comprise the following:

1. The distress signal mayday spoken three times,

2. The words this is,

3. The name and call sign of the vessel in distress spoken three times.

Example:

MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY

THIS IS

SEAGULL HR1225, SEAGULL HR1225, SEAGULL HR1225

The distress call will not be addressed to a particular station and acknowledgement of receipt shall not be given before the distress message is completed.

Distress Priority

The distress call has absolute priority over all other transmissions. All stations that hear it shall immediately cease any transmission capable of interfering with distress traffic and shall continue to listen on the frequency used for the distress call.

3. 2 DISTRESS PROCEDURE (Highest priority comms.)

1. INITIAL DISTRESS CALL

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE DISTRESS MESSAGE

3. ASSISTANCE MESSAGE

4. ASSISTANCE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

5. MAYDAY RELAY

Calling station (Stn in Distress) Responding station

1. INITIAL CALL

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

3. ASSISTANCE

4. ASSISTANCE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

5. MAYDAY RELAY

3.2.1 Initial Distress Message (example):

The distress call/alarm/signal shall be followed as soon as possible by the voice or digital distress message. The initial distress message is the first message sent by the station (vessel) in distress and shall include the following:

1. the distress signal or marker word MAYDAY (3 times)

2. identification of the station in distress (the name and/or call sign of station in distress (once)

3. the marker word MAYDAY (repeated once to signal that there is distress communication under way)

4. name and call sign of the station in distress

5. position of the station in distress

6. nature of distress (reason, short indication of what has happened),

7. kind of assistance required

8. the number of persons on board and injuries (if applicable), any other information that might facilitate rescue

9. OVER.

Note: As a general rule, a ship will signal its position in latitude and longitude. When practicable, the bearing and distance in nautical miles from a known geographical position may be given.

Example: