Question 49 GLI04 - Mate of LT 500-1600 GRT

The Correct Answer is C **Explanation for Option C (The vessel is in distress):** According to the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), Annex IV (Distress Signals), certain signals are internationally recognized as indicating distress and the need for assistance. One of the explicitly listed signals is the **firing of a gun or other explosive signal at intervals of about a minute**. When a mariner hears this specific signal—a gun firing at one-minute intervals—it is universally understood that the vessel transmitting the signal is in grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance. **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **A) The gun is being used to sound passing signals:** Passing signals (used in close-quarters maneuvering or navigating narrow channels) are typically short blasts (one, two, or three) made using the ship's whistle or horn, not a gun fired repeatedly at one-minute intervals. A gun signal at this slow interval is specifically reserved for distress. * **B) All vessels are to clear the area:** While a distress situation might ultimately require other vessels to clear the immediate area to allow rescue efforts, the primary meaning of the signal is to indicate distress and *request* help. If a vessel needed others to simply clear the area (e.g., during diving operations or explosives handling), it would use different, codified signals (flags, lights, or specific radio broadcasts) which do not involve firing a gun every minute. * **D) All is clear and it is safe to pass:** This signal (a gun fired every minute) is the exact opposite of an "all clear" indication. The very purpose of this signal is to communicate a grave emergency. "All clear" would typically be indicated by the absence of danger signals or specific verbal/radio confirmation.