Use for grave and imminent danger
MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY
This is
Position:
Nature of distress:
Assistance required:
Persons on board:
DSC: If fitted and configured, lift cover and press/hold DISTRESS according to your radio manual. Then make the voice call on VHF 16.
Use for urgent help, not yet immediate danger to life
PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN
All stations / Coast station:
This is:
Position:
Problem:
Request:
If the situation becomes grave and immediate, upgrade to Mayday. It is better to call early and update later than to call too late.
Mayday, Pan-Pan, Securite and normal calls
| Call | Use when |
|---|---|
| Mayday | Grave and imminent danger. Immediate assistance needed. |
| Pan-Pan | Urgent problem. Serious, but not yet immediate danger to life. |
| Securite | Safety information for other vessels: hazard, weather, navigation warning. |
| Normal call | Routine contact: marina, bridge, another vessel, advice or non-urgent traffic. |
Normal call example:
, this is
On channel . Over.
Securite example:
SECURITE, SECURITE, SECURITE
All stations, all stations, all stations. This is
Position / area:
Safety message:
Keep the message short. Say who you are, where you are, what the problem or message is, and what you need.
Fill before the passage
Make the important things easy to find
First crew jobs: lifejackets on, one person on radio, one person on helm/lookout, one person on the problem if crew is available. Keep position, people count and problem description current.
Useful information before making a call
If using a phone, satellite messenger or app, write down how to unlock it and where the charger/power bank is stored. In an emergency, the simplest written detail can save time.