Mayday Meaning in Sailing

Mayday is the international radio signal used to communicate a life-threatening emergency at sea. This distress call takes priority over all other radio traffic to ensure immediate rescue help. A sailor repeats the word three times to signal a sinking boat or medical crisis. A captain broadcasts a mayday call after the vessel strikes a hidden rock and takes on water. This alert tells the coast guard and nearby ships the exact location of the emergency. The caller must provide the boat name and the number of people on board the vessel. Using this signal for non-emergencies is illegal and carries heavy fines in most countries. Proper use of the mayday signal saves lives during the most dangerous ocean situations.