PART 4 - Canadian Coast Guard

The Distress Call:
i) should not be addressed to a particular coast radio station or ship; and
ii) has absolute priority over all other transmissions and all coast radio stations and ships that hear this call must cease
any transmissions that will interfere with it and must listen on the frequency used for this call.
The Distress Message consists of:
i) the word “MAYDAY”;
ii) the name of the ship in distress;
iii) the position of the ship in distress;
iv) the nature of the distress;
v) the kind of assistance needed;
vi) any other useful information which might assist the rescue;
vii) the word “Over” which is an invitation to acknowledge and reply.
Distress Traffic consists of all messages about the immediate assistance required by the ship in distress. Prior to the
transmission of any Distress Traffic, the Distress Signal “MAYDAY” must be sent once before the call. The control of
Distress Traffic is the responsibility of the ship in distress or of the ship or coast radio station sending a Distress Message.
A mobile station that learns that another mobile station is in distress may transmit the distress message if:
i) the station in distress cannot transmit it;
ii) the master or person responsible for the craft carrying the station which intervenes believes that further help is
necessary;
iii) although not in a position to render assistance, it has heard a distress message which has not been acknowledged.
In the above situation the distress message takes the following form:
i) the radiotelephone Alarm Signal if possible;
ii) the words “MAYDAY RELAY” (spoken three times);
iii) the words “This is”;
iv) the identification of the mobile station repeating the message (spoken three times).
When Distress Traffic has ceased or when silence is no longer necessary the station that has controlled the Distress Traffic
must transmit a message on the distress frequency advising that the distress traffic has ceased.
i) the word “MAYDAY”;
ii) the words “All Stations” (spoken three times);
iii) the words “This is”;
iv) the name of the station which has controlled the distress traffic;
v) MMSI number (if applicable);
vi) the current Coordinated Universal Time (UTC);
vii) the name of the ship that was in distress and a brief description of the resolution of the distress;
viii) the words “SEELONCE FEENEE”;
ix) the word “Out”.
Distress Procedure Example
Transmission of the Alarm Signal for between 30 seconds and one minute, if possible, then the following spoken slowly
and distinctly.
Distress Signal
“MAYDAY” (three times)
the words
“This is”
name of ship
“Nonsuch” (three times)
MMSI number “316010115”
Distress Signal
“MAYDAY”
name of ship
“Nonsuch”
position
“Off Iles-St-Marie”
nature of distress
“Struck rock and taking on water”
assistance needed
“Require help to abandon ship”
other useful information
“5 persons on board”
invitation to acknowledge and reply
“Over”
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