Brief #005 · VHF

Mayday, Pan-Pan or Sécurité?

Safety

Mayday is grave and imminent danger, Pan-Pan is urgency, Sécurité is a safety warning: each said three times on VHF channel 16, and a Mayday follows a set order.

Wording and penalties from US Coast Guard and FCC rules; check your own country's radio procedures.

Transcript

Three radio calls. Do you know which one is yours?

Mayday means grave and imminent danger, and you need immediate assistance.

Sinking. Fire on board.

Pan-Pan is urgency: a very urgent message about the safety of a boat or a person.

Sécurité is safety: a warning about navigation, or the weather.

Each one is said three times, on VHF channel 16.

For a Mayday: this is, your boat's name, then where you are.

What's wrong, what help you need, how many on board. Then: over.

A DSC radio with GPS sends your position in one alert. Then talk on 16.

And in the US, a hoax Mayday is a felony.

Know all three before you need them. Follow for the next brief.

Sources

1. 47 CFR §80.314 Distress communications (MAYDAY)
2. 47 CFR §80.327 Urgency signals and messages (PAN PAN)
3. 47 CFR §80.329 Safety signals and messages (SECURITE)
4. USCG NAVCEN: Radio information for boaters (channel 16, Mayday call format)
5. USCG NAVCEN: DSC distress
6. 14 U.S.C. §521 Saving life and property (false distress messages)