Which statement best describes Mayday?

• A. Distress Communication, grave and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance
• B. Urgent message for safety
• C. Routine weather
• D. Navigation warnings

Answer: (A)

Mayday is the radiotelephony distress signal used when there is grave and imminent danger and immediate assistance is required. It signals that lives are at risk and rescue resources must be prioritized. In practice, the call is spoken three times, then you provide your vessel’s name and call sign, position, the nature of the distress, and the number of people on board, with attempts to maintain contact and coordinate rescue. This distinguishes it from other safety communications: a Pan-Pan is an urgent message for safety when there is no imminent danger, routine weather reports are not distress calls, and navigation warnings (Sécurité) convey navigational safety information but do not indicate an active emergency. Understanding this ensures the right response is triggered without delay.