When signaling for distress at sea, which channel and signal are standard for initial call?

• A. Channel 16 Mayday transmission
• B. Channel 13 Pan-Pan call
• C. Channel 70 Securite call
• D. Channel 22 distress call on 156.8

Answer: (A)

The first, standard action for an active distress at sea is a voice Mayday on the designated distress channel. Channel 16 (106) is the international hailing and distress frequency, specifically set at 156.8 MHz, and it’s continuously monitored. When you call Mayday, you’re signaling immediate danger and requesting urgent assistance. The message should start with the word Mayday spoken three times, followed by your vessel’s name, position, nature of the distress, and the type of help you need, so nearby vessels and authorities can locate you and respond quickly.

Other options aren’t used for the initial distress call: Pan-Pan is for an urgent situation that isn’t immediately life-threatening, Securite is for safety navigation messages, and mixing channel numbers or frequencies that aren’t the distress channel isn’t standard. There’s also a digital option on Channel 70 (for DSC) if voice isn’t possible, but the traditional and most reliable initial call remains Mayday on Channel 16.