What is the most serious distress call on VHF radiotelephony?

• A. Mayday
• B. Pan-Pan
• C. Securité
• D. Help

Answer: (A)

Mayday is the most serious distress call on VHF radiotelephony because it signals imminent danger to life or the vessel and requires immediate, prioritized assistance. When used, it is spoken three times to ensure it is unmistakable, then you immediately give the vessel’s identity and position, describe the nature of the distress, and state how many people are onboard and what help is needed. This call has the highest priority, and all other traffic must yield and assist if capable.

Pan-Pan is for urgent situations that do not pose an immediate threat to life, and Securité is used for safety messages like navigational hazards or weather alerts. A nonstandard term such as “Help” isn’t a recognized distress signal and doesn’t convey the proper level of urgency, so it isn’t appropriate.