---
kind: "section"
citation: "47 C.F.R. § 80.314"
title: "47"
number: "80.314"
heading: "Distress communications."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/47/80.314"
---

# §80.314. Distress communications.

- (a) The international radiotelephone distress signal consists of the word MAYDAY, pronounced as the French expression “m'aider”.
- (b) These distress signals indicate that a mobile station is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance.
- (c) **The radiotelephone distress call consists of—**
  - (1) The distress signal MAYDAY spoken three times;
  - (2) The words THIS IS;
  - (3) The call sign (or name, if no call sign assigned) of the mobile station in distress, spoken three times;
  - (4) Particulars of the station's position;
  - (5) The nature of the distress;
  - (6) The kind of assistance desired; and
  - (7) Any other information which might facilitate rescue, for example, the length, color, and type of vessel, or number of persons on board.
- (d) The procedures for canceling false distress alerts are contained in [§ 80.335](/cfr/47/80.335.md).

## Notes

### Amendments

[51 FR 31213, Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at 68 FR 46968, Aug. 7, 2003; 73 FR 4485, Jan. 25, 2008]

### Authority

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 151-155, 301-609; 3 U.S.T. 3450, 3 U.S.T. 4726, 12 U.S.T. 2377.

### Source

Source: 51 FR 31213, Sept. 2, 1986, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[51 FR 31213, Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at 68 FR 46968, Aug. 7, 2003; 73 FR 4485, Jan. 25, 2008]