Part D · Sound and light signals · Rule 37
Distress signals
37 When a vessel is in distress and requires assistance she shall use or exhibit the signals described in Annex IV to these Regulations.
- “When a vessel is in distress and requires assistance”Both conditions: the vessel is in distress and she needs help. A vessel that only needs another vessel’s attention uses Rule 36 instead, and the not-under-command signals of Rule 27 are not distress signals either (Rule 27(h)).
- “she shall use or exhibit the signals described in Annex IV to these Regulations”She must use the Annex IV signals, which may be used together or separately: for example MAYDAY by radio, red parachute rockets or hand flares, orange smoke, continuous sounding of the fog signal, or slowly raising and lowering outstretched arms. Annex IV also prohibits using any of these signals for any other purpose, or any signal that could be confused with them.
In distress and needing help: use the Annex IV signals. Never use them, or anything like them, for any other purpose.