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If you find yourself in a distress at sea, you should first try to use your own equipment or get help from nearby vessels. If you need the Rescue Services...

Dial 112 to call the Joint Rescue Cooordination Centre.

You can also:

  • Call “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” on VHF channel 16
  • Use visual signals such as flares, hand-held red flares or smoke signals
  • Repeately raise your arms above your head and lower them
  • Send three short/three long/three short signals (SOS) with light or sound
  • Use whatever means possible to make the distress situation known

You can always increase safety by using the phone and/or VHF to get information about the weather forecast or navigational warnings. Calling home to notify people or keep relatives from worrying can prevent unnecessary distress calls to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.

Updated: 2012-01-24