Question 64 ONC01 - Master/Chief Mate Unlimited Tonnage

The Correct Answer is D **Why "Mayday" (D) is Correct:** "Mayday" is the internationally recognized, spoken word used specifically to denote a situation of **grave and imminent danger** requiring immediate assistance—a distress signal—when communicating via radio (such as a VHF radio). The word must be spoken three times (e.g., "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday") to clearly differentiate it from ordinary conversation and emphasize the emergency. It is the verbal equivalent of the Morse code signal "SOS." **Why the Other Options are Incorrect:** * **Pan (A):** "Pan-Pan" (spoken three times: "Pan-Pan, Pan-Pan, Pan-Pan") is the spoken signal for an **urgency** call. This means there is a very serious situation concerning the safety of a vessel or person, but it is not (yet) a situation of grave and imminent danger. It requires priority handling but is a step below Mayday. * **Red Alert (B):** "Red Alert" is a common, general phrase used in military, security, or fictional contexts to denote a maximum threat level or emergency status. However, it is **not** the standardized, spoken international signal used by mariners or aviators over radio communication for distress. * **Security (C):** "Sécurité" (or "Security," spoken three times: "Sécurité, Sécurité, Sécurité") is the spoken signal for a **safety** call. This is the lowest level of emergency communication, indicating that the station is about to transmit an important navigational or meteorological warning (e.g., a hazard to navigation) but does not imply the caller itself is in immediate danger.