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Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice-procedure radio communications.

It is used to signal a life-threatening emergency primarily by aviators and mariners, but in some countries local organizations such as firefighters, police forces, and transportation organizations also use the term. Convention requires the word be repeated three times in a row during the initial emergency declaration ("Mayday mayday mayday").

History

The "mayday" procedure word was conceived as a distress call in the early 1920s by Frederick Stanley Mockford, officer-in-charge of radio at Croydon Airport, England. He had been asked to think of a word that would indicate distress and would easily be understood by all pilots and ground staff in an emergency.^[1]^[2] Since much of the air traffic at the time was between Croydon and Le Bourget Airport in Paris, he proposed the term "mayday", the phonetic equivalent of the French m'aidez ("help me") or m'aider (a short form of venez m'aider, "come [and] help me").^[3]^[4] (M'aidez is non-standard French; the phrase Aidez moi is standard.) The term is unrelated to the holiday May Day.

Following tests, the new procedure word was introduced for cross-Channel flights in February 1923.^[5] The previous distress call had been the Morse code signal SOS, but this was not considered suitable for voice communication, "[o]wing to the difficulty of distinguishing the letter 'S' by telephone".^[5] In 1927, the International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington adopted the voice call "mayday" as the radiotelephone distress call in addition to the SOS radiotelegraph (Morse code) signal.^[6]

Mayday calls

A maritime example: The actual mayday call made by MV Summit Venture when it collided with the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in 1980, causing the bridge to collapse.

A noise-reduced, condensed version of the above MV Summit Venture collision call.

If a mayday call cannot be sent because a radio is not available, a variety of other distress signals and calls for help can be used. Additionally, a mayday call can be sent on behalf of one vessel by another; this is known as a mayday relay.

Civilian aircraft making a mayday call in United States airspace are encouraged by the Federal Aviation Administration to use the following format, omitting any portions as necessary for expediency or where they are irrelevant (capitalization as in the original source):

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday; (Name of station addressed); Aircraft call sign and type; Nature of emergency; Weather; Pilot's intentions and/or requests; Present position and heading, or if lost then last known position and heading and time when aircraft was at that position; Altitude or Flight level; Fuel remaining in minutes; Number of people on board; Any other useful information.^[7]

Making a false distress call is a criminal offense in many countries, punishable by a fine, restitution, and possible imprisonment.^[8]

Other urgent calls

Pan-pan

"Pan-pan" (from the French: panne, 'a breakdown') indicates an urgent situation, such as a mechanical failure or a medical problem, of a lower order than a "grave and imminent threat requiring immediate assistance". The suffix "medico" originally was to be added by vessels in British waters to indicate a medical problem ("pan-pan medico", repeated three times), or by aircraft declaring a non-life-threatening medical emergency of a passenger in flight, or those operating as protected medical transport in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.^[9] "Pan-pan medico" is no longer in official use.^[10]

Declaring emergency

Sometimes the phrase "declaring emergency" is used in aviation, as an alternative to calling "mayday".^[11] For example, in 1998 Swissair Flight 111 radioed "Swissair one-eleven heavy is declaring emergency" after their situation had worsened, upgrading from the "pan-pan" which was declared earlier.^[12]

However, the International Civil Aviation Organization recommends the use of the standard "pan-pan" and "mayday" calls instead of "declaring an emergency".^[13] Cases of pilots using phrases other than "pan-pan" and "mayday" have caused confusion and errors in aircraft handling.^[14]

Silencing other communications traffic

"Seelonce mayday" (using an approximation of the French pronunciation of silence) is a demand that the channel only be used by the vessel/s and authorities involved with the distress. The channel may not be used for normal working traffic until "seelonce feenee" is broadcast. "Seelonce mayday" and "seelonce feenee" may only be sent by the controlling station in charge of the distress. The expression "stop transmitting – mayday" is an aeronautical equivalent of "seelonce mayday". "Seelonce distress" and "prudonce" are no longer in use since ITU WRC-07.^{[citation needed]}

The format for a "seelonce mayday" is MAYDAY, All Stations x3 or [Interfering station] x3, this is [controlling station], SEELONCE MAYDAY.^[15]

"Seelonce feenee" (from French silence fini, 'silence finished') means that the emergency situation has been concluded and the channel may now be used normally. "Distress traffic ended" is the aeronautical equivalent of "seelonce feenee".^[16]

The format for the "seelonce feenee" is MAYDAY, All stations x3, this is [controlling station] x3, date and time in UTC, distressed vessels MMSI number, distressed vessels name, distressed vessels call sign, SEELONCE FEENEE.^[15]

References

^ "It's MayDay – But That Means Trouble for Aviators". May 2017. Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
^ Learmonth, Bob; Nash, Joanna; Cluett, Douglas (1977). The First Croydon Airport 1915–1928. Sutton: London Borough of Sutton Libraries and Arts Services. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-9503224-3-8.
^ "Mayday". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
^ "Mayday - Definition of Mayday in English by Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries - English. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
^ ^a ^b "New air distress signal". The Times. No. 43255. 2 February 1923. p. 7.
^ "Article 19: Distress, alarm, urgency, and safety signals". International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington, 1927 (PDF). London: HMSO. 1929 [1928]. pp. 80–89. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
^ Aeronautical Information Manual, paragraph 6-4-2, "Obtaining Emergency Assistance", Federal Aviation Administration, 1999.
^ "No Joke (Archived)". Archived from the original on 16 May 2017.
^ ICAO Annex 10 V2 Section 5.3
^ Tim Bartlett (2009). VHF handbook. Southampton: The Royal Yachting Association. p. 53. ISBN 978-1-905104-03-1.
^ "National Transportation Safety Board FACTUAL REPORT AVIATION". 15 September 2010. Archived from the original on 15 September 2010.
^ Ranter, Harro. "Aviation Safety Network > Accident investigation > CVR / FDR > Transcripts > ATC transcript Swissair Flight 111 - 02 SEP 1998". aviation-safety.net. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
^ "ICAO Standard Phraseology" (PDF). SKYbrary. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 December 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
^ "Aircraft Fuel Status and Communication Procedures" (PDF). Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
^ ^a ^b "Radio Regulations, edition of 2016". ITU. International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Archived from the original on 25 September 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
^ d.o.o, Spinaker. "DISTRESS alert (GMDSS)". egmdss.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2018.

External links

[1] "It's MayDay – But That Means Trouble for Aviators". May 2017. Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2018.

[2] Learmonth, Bob; Nash, Joanna; Cluett, Douglas (1977). The First Croydon Airport 1915–1928. Sutton: London Borough of Sutton Libraries and Arts Services. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-9503224-3-8.

[3] "Mayday". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)

[4] "Mayday - Definition of Mayday in English by Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries - English. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2020.

[times1923-5] "New air distress signal". The Times. No. 43255. 2 February 1923. p. 7.

[6] "Article 19: Distress, alarm, urgency, and safety signals". International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington, 1927 (PDF). London: HMSO. 1929 [1928]. pp. 80–89. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.

[7] Aeronautical Information Manual, paragraph 6-4-2, "Obtaining Emergency Assistance", Federal Aviation Administration, 1999.

[8] "No Joke (Archived)". Archived from the original on 16 May 2017.

[9] ICAO Annex 10 V2 Section 5.3

[Tim_Bartlett_2009_53-10] Tim Bartlett (2009). VHF handbook. Southampton: The Royal Yachting Association. p. 53. ISBN 978-1-905104-03-1.

[11] "National Transportation Safety Board FACTUAL REPORT AVIATION". 15 September 2010. Archived from the original on 15 September 2010.

[12] Ranter, Harro. "Aviation Safety Network > Accident investigation > CVR / FDR > Transcripts > ATC transcript Swissair Flight 111 - 02 SEP 1998". aviation-safety.net. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.

[13] "ICAO Standard Phraseology" (PDF). SKYbrary. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 December 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2013.

[14] "Aircraft Fuel Status and Communication Procedures" (PDF). Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2013.

[ITU-RR-2016-15] "Radio Regulations, edition of 2016". ITU. International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Archived from the original on 25 September 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2023.

[16] .o.o, Spinaker. "DISTRESS alert (GMDSS)". egmdss.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2018.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal}}
-{{for|the holiday|May Day}}
+{{about|the distress signal|the holidays celebrated on 1 May|May Day|other uses}}
-[[Image:lifeboat.17-31.underway.arp.jpg|thumb|250px|A Mayday call might result in the activation of a lifeboat such as this [[Severn class lifeboat]] in [[Poole Harbour]], [[Dorset]], [[England]]. This is the largest class of UK lifeboat at 17 metres long]]
+{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2013}}
-'''''Mayday''''' is an emergency [[code word]] used internationally as a [[distress signal]] in [[voice procedure]] radio communications. It [[French phrases used by English speakers#French phrases in international air-sea rescue|derives from the French]] ''venez '''m'aider''''', meaning 'come help me'.<ref>[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=mayday&searchmode=none Online Etymology Dictionary]</ref> It is used to signal a life-threatening emergency by many groups, such as [[police]] forces, [[Aviator|pilots]], [[firefighters]], and transportation organizations. The call is always given three times in a row ("Mayday Mayday Mayday") to prevent mistaking it for some similar-sounding phrase under noisy conditions, and to distinguish an actual mayday call from a message about a mayday call.
-''
-==Mayday calls==
-<div style="float:right;">{{Listen|filename=Mayday1.ogg |title=Flight 93 Mayday |description=Mayday call from [[United Airlines Flight 93]] |format=[[Ogg]]}}</div>
-A '''Mayday''' situation is one in which a vessel, aircraft, vehicle, or person is in grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance.  Examples of "grave and imminent danger" in which a mayday call would be appropriate include fire, explosion or sinking.
+'''Mayday''' is an emergency [[procedure word]] used internationally as a [[distress signal]] in [[Voice procedure|voice-procedure]] [[Radio|radio communications]].
-Mayday calls can be made on any frequency, and when a mayday call is made no other radio traffic is permitted except to assist in the emergency.  A mayday call may only be made when life or craft is in imminent danger of death or destruction.
+It is used to signal a life-threatening emergency primarily by aviators and mariners, but in some countries local organizations such as [[firefighters]],  [[police]] forces, and transportation organizations also use the term. Convention requires the word be repeated three times in a row during the initial emergency declaration ("Mayday mayday mayday").
-'Mayday' calls are made by radio, such as a ship or aircraft's [[VHF]] radio. Although a Mayday call will be understood regardless of the radio frequency on which it is broadcast, first-line response organisations, such as the [[coast guard|coastguard]] and [[air traffic control]], monitor designated channels: marine [[Medium frequency|MF]] on [[2182 kHz]]; [[marine VHF radio]] channel 16 (156.8 MHz); and [[airband]] frequencies of 121.5 MHz and 243.0 MHz. A Mayday call is roughly equivalent of a [[morse code]] [[SOS]], or a telephone call to the [[emergency services]].
+==History==
-When they receive a Mayday call the coastguard may launch [[lifeboat (rescue)|lifeboat]]s and [[helicopter]]s to assist the ship that is in trouble. Other ships that are nearby may divert course to assist the vessel broadcasting the Mayday.
+The "mayday" procedure word was conceived as a distress call in the early 1920s by Frederick Stanley Mockford, officer-in-charge of radio at [[Croydon Airport]], England. He had been asked to think of a word that would indicate distress and would easily be understood by all pilots and ground staff in an emergency.<ref>{{cite web|title=It's MayDay – But That Means Trouble for Aviators|date=May 2017|url=http://yorkshireairmuseum.org/journal/its-mayday-but-that-means-trouble-for-aviators/|access-date=31 March 2018|archive-date=24 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324195512/http://yorkshireairmuseum.org/journal/its-mayday-but-that-means-trouble-for-aviators/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first1=Bob |last1=Learmonth |first2=Joanna |last2=Nash |first3=Douglas |last3=Cluett |year=1977 |title=The First Croydon Airport 1915–1928 |publisher=London Borough of Sutton Libraries and Arts Services |place=Sutton |isbn=978-0-9503224-3-8 |page=55 }}</ref> Since much of the air traffic at the time was between Croydon and [[Le Bourget Airport]] in Paris, he proposed the term "mayday", the phonetic equivalent of the French {{lang|fr|m'aidez}} ("help me") or {{lang|fr|m'aider}} (a short form of {{lang|fr|venez m'aider}}, "come [and] help me").<ref>{{OED|Mayday}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/mayday|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170617112032/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/mayday|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 June 2017|title=Mayday - Definition of Mayday in English by Oxford Dictionaries|website=Oxford Dictionaries - English|access-date=31 August 2020}}</ref> (''M'aidez'' is non-standard French; the phrase ''Aidez moi'' is standard.) The term is unrelated to the holiday [[May Day]].
+Following tests, the new procedure word was introduced for [[English Channel|cross-Channel]] flights in February 1923.<ref name="times1923">{{cite news |title=New air distress signal |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=2 February 1923 |issue=43255 |page=7 }}</ref> The previous distress call had been the [[Morse code]] signal [[SOS]], but this was not considered suitable for voice communication, "[o]wing to the difficulty of distinguishing the letter 'S' by telephone".<ref name="times1923"/> In 1927, the [[International Telecommunication Union|International Radiotelegraph Convention]] of [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] adopted the voice call "mayday" as the radiotelephone distress call in addition to the SOS radiotelegraph (Morse code) signal.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://search.itu.int/history/HistoryDigitalCollectionDocLibrary/4.39.43.en.100.pdf |title=International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington, 1927 |chapter=Article 19: Distress, alarm, urgency, and safety signals |publisher=HMSO |location=London |year=1929 |orig-date=1928 |pages=80–89 |access-date=9 January 2021 |archive-date=15 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115192356/http://search.itu.int/history/HistoryDigitalCollectionDocLibrary/4.39.43.en.100.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
-Making a hoax Mayday call is a criminal act in many countries because of the danger to the rescuers' lives that a [[search-and-rescue]] operation can create, as well as the very high costs of such rescue efforts. For example, making a false distress call in the U.S. is a federal crime carrying sanctions of up to six years imprisonment, and a fine of $250,000<ref>[http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/g-opr/SARfactsInfo/nojoke.htm No Joke<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>.
+==Mayday calls==
-The [[coastguard]] can be contacted in situations that are not emergencies (out of fuel, etc.) by calling 'Coastguard, Coastguard, Coastguard, this is (name of vessel)', on VHF channel 16. In many countries special training and a licence are required to use a mobile radio transmitter legally, although anyone may legally use one to summon help in a real emergency.
+{{anchor|Mayday relay}}
+[[File:MV Summit Venture Mayday Call.flac|thumb|A maritime example: The actual mayday call made by {{MV|Summit Venture}} when it collided with the [[Sunshine Skyway Bridge]] in 1980, causing the bridge to collapse.]]
+[[File:MV_Summit_Venture_Mayday_Call_NR.ogg|thumb|A noise-reduced, condensed version of the above {{MV|Summit Venture}} collision call.]]
+If a mayday call cannot be sent because a radio is not available, a variety of other [[distress signal]]s and [[Call for help|calls for help]] can be used. Additionally, a mayday call can be sent on behalf of one vessel by another; this is known as a mayday relay.
+Civilian aircraft making a mayday call in United States airspace are encouraged by the [[Federal Aviation Administration]] to use the following format, omitting any portions as necessary for expediency or where they are irrelevant (capitalization as in the original source):
-The recommended distress call format includes the word MAYDAY spoken three times (repeated twice), followed by the vessel's name or [[callsign]], also spoken three times, then MAYDAY and the name or callsign again. Vital information, including the position, nature of the emergency, assistance required and the number of people on board, should follow. A typical message might be:
+{{blockquote|Mayday, Mayday, Mayday; (Name of station addressed); Aircraft call sign and type; Nature of emergency; Weather; Pilot's intentions and/or requests; Present position and heading, or if lost then last known position and heading and time when aircraft was at that position; [[Altitude]] or [[Flight level]]; Fuel remaining in minutes; Number of people on board; Any other useful information.<ref>Aeronautical Information Manual, paragraph 6-4-2, "Obtaining Emergency Assistance", [[Federal Aviation Administration]], 1999.</ref>}}
-:"MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, this is NONSUCH, NONSUCH, NONSUCH. MAYDAY, NONSUCH. Position 54 25 North 016 33 West. My boat is on fire and sinking. I require immediate assistance. 4 people on board, are taking a [[lifeboat (shipboard)|lifeboat]]. OVER."
+Making a false distress call is a criminal offense in many countries, punishable by a fine, restitution, and possible imprisonment.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg534/sarfactsinfo/SARisNOjoke.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516171604/https://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg534/sarfactsinfo/SARisNOjoke.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=2017-05-16|title=No Joke (Archived)}}</ref>
-If a Mayday call cannot be sent because a radio is not available a variety of other [[distress signal]]s and [[call for help|calls for help]] can be used. A Mayday can be sent on behalf of one vessel by another, using a convention called a '''Mayday Relay''' (''see below'').
-== History ==
-The Mayday callsign was originated in 1923 by [[Frederick Stanley Mockford]] (1897–1962) <ref>[http://mockford.info/html/fam02087.html Frederick Stanley MOCKFORD] — genealogy</ref>.  A senior radio officer at [[Croydon Airport]] in [[London]], Mockford was asked to think of a word that would indicate distress and would easily be understood by all pilots and ground staff in an emergency.  Since much of the traffic at the time was between Croydon and [[Le Bourget Airport]] in [[Paris]], he proposed the word "Mayday" from the French ''m’aider''.{{Fact|date=May 2008}}
 ==Other urgent calls==
-'''''Mayday''''' is one of a number of words used internationally as radio [[Code word#Radio communication procedure words|code word]]s to signal important information. Senders of urgency calls are entitled to interrupt messages of lower priority. As with Mayday the use of these terms without proper cause could render the user liable to civil and/or criminal charges.
-Each of these ''urgency calls'' is usually spoken three times (repeated twice); eg, "Pan-pan, Pan-pan, Pan-pan."
-===Mayday relay===
-:A '''Mayday relay''' call is made by one vessel on behalf of a ''different'' vessel which is in distress. If a vessel makes a Mayday call and it is ''not'' acknowledged by the coastguard after a single repetition and a two-minute wait a vessel receiving the Mayday call should attempt to contact the coastguard on behalf of the Mayday vessel by broadcasting a Mayday Relay on their behalf.
-:A Mayday Relay call should use the callsign of the transmitting vessel but give the name and position of the Mayday vessel.
-:Mayday Relay calls can be used to summon help for a vessel which is either too far offshore to contact the coastguard directly or without radio capabilities (though most vessels above a certain size or crew complement are legally required to carry two-way radio equipment, such equipment can potentially be damaged or destroyed).
 ===Pan-pan===
-{{mainarticle|Pan-pan}}
+{{main article|Pan-pan}}
-:[[Pan-pan]] (from the French: ''panne'' - a breakdown) indicates an urgent situation of a lower order than a "grave and imminent threat requiring immediate assistance", such as a mechanical breakdown or a medical problem. The suffix '''medico''' used to be added by vessels in UK waters to indicate a medical problem (''Pan-Pan medico'', repeated three times), but has never applied in aviation.
+"[[Pan-pan]]" (from the French: ''{{lang|fr|panne}}'', 'a breakdown') indicates an urgent situation, such as a mechanical failure or a medical problem, of a lower order than a "grave and imminent threat requiring immediate assistance". The suffix "medico" originally was to be added by vessels in British waters to indicate a medical problem ("pan-pan medico", repeated three times), or by aircraft declaring a non-life-threatening medical emergency of a passenger in flight, or those operating as protected medical transport in accordance with the [[Geneva Conventions]].<ref>ICAO Annex 10 V2 Section 5.3</ref> "Pan-pan medico" is no longer in official use.<ref name="Tim Bartlett 2009 53">{{cite book|title=VHF handbook|author=Tim Bartlett|publisher=The Royal Yachting Association|year=2009|page=53|location=Southampton|isbn=978-1-905104-03-1}}</ref>
 ===Declaring emergency===
-:Sometimes the phrase "declaring emergency" is used in aviation. This is the same as calling "Mayday". For example [[Swissair Flight 111]] radioed "Swissair one eleven heavy is declaring emergency" on discovering their situation.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/investigation/cvr/transcripts/atc_sr111.php Swissair Flight 111 Transcript]</ref><ref>[http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?id=DCA05MA003&rpt=fa NTSB accident investigation report] for [[Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701]]</ref>
+Sometimes the phrase "declaring emergency" is used in aviation, as an alternative to calling "mayday".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?id=DCA05MA003&rpt=fa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100915034443/http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?id=DCA05MA003&rpt=fa|title=National Transportation Safety Board FACTUAL REPORT AVIATION|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 September 2010|date=15 September 2010}}</ref> For example, in 1998 [[Swissair Flight 111]] radioed "Swissair one-eleven [[Heavy (aviation)|heavy]] is declaring emergency" after their situation had worsened, upgrading from the "pan-pan" which was declared earlier.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/investigation/cvr/transcripts/atc_sr111.php|title=Aviation Safety Network > Accident investigation > CVR / FDR > Transcripts > ATC transcript Swissair Flight 111 - 02 SEP 1998|first=Harro|last=Ranter|website=aviation-safety.net|access-date=10 February 2019|archive-date=25 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825144346/https://aviation-safety.net/investigation/cvr/transcripts/atc_sr111.php|url-status=live}}</ref>
+However, the [[International Civil Aviation Organization]] recommends the use of the standard "pan-pan" and "mayday" calls instead of "declaring an emergency".<ref>{{cite web|title=ICAO Standard Phraseology|url=http://www.skybrary.aero/bookshelf/books/115.pdf|work=SKYbrary|access-date=13 June 2013|archive-date=29 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181229072920/https://www.skybrary.aero/bookshelf/books/115.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>  Cases of pilots using phrases other than "pan-pan" and "mayday" have caused confusion and errors in aircraft handling.<ref>{{cite web|title=Aircraft Fuel Status and Communication Procedures|url=http://www.hkatc.gov.hk/HK_AIP/aic/AIC21-12.pdf|publisher=Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department|access-date=13 June 2013|archive-date=8 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808151554/http://www.hkatc.gov.hk/HK_AIP/aic/AIC21-12.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
-===Securite===
-{{mainarticle|Securite}}
-:'''[[Securite]]''' ({{pronEng|seɪkjʊərɨteɪ}},<ref>SAY-CURE-E-TAY according to the http://www.coastguard.com.au/securite.html Australian Coastguard Association]</ref> from French ''sécurité'' — safety) indicates a message about safety, such as a hazard to navigation or weather information.
+===Silencing other communications traffic===
-===Silence===
+{{See also|Radio silence}}
+"Seelonce mayday" (using an approximation of the French pronunciation of ''{{lang|fr|silence}}'') is a demand that the channel only be used by the vessel/s and authorities involved with the distress. The channel may not be used for normal working traffic until "seelonce feenee" is broadcast. "Seelonce mayday" and "seelonce feenee" may only be sent by the controlling station in charge of the distress. The expression "stop transmitting – mayday" is an aeronautical equivalent of "seelonce mayday". "Seelonce distress" and "prudonce" are no longer in use since ITU WRC-07.{{fact|date=January 2024}}
+The format for a "seelonce mayday" is MAYDAY, All Stations x3 or [Interfering station] x3, this is [controlling station], SEELONCE MAYDAY.<ref name="ITU-RR-2016">{{cite web |title=Radio Regulations, edition of 2016 |url=http://handle.itu.int/11.1004/020.1000/1.43 |website=ITU |publisher=International Telecommunication Union (ITU) |access-date=23 June 2023 |archive-date=25 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240925015120/https://www.itu.int/en/history/Pages/RadioRegulationsA.aspx?reg=1.43 |url-status=live }}</ref>
-The following calls may be made only by the vessel in distress or the responding authority:
+"Seelonce feenee" (from French ''{{lang|fr|silence fini}}'', 'silence finished') means that the emergency situation has been concluded and the channel may now be used normally. "Distress traffic ended" is the aeronautical equivalent of "seelonce feenee".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.egmdss.com/gmdss-courses/mod/resource/view.php?id=67|title=DISTRESS alert (GMDSS)|first=Spinaker|last=d.o.o|website=egmdss.com|access-date=20 July 2018|archive-date=16 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416094125/http://www.egmdss.com/gmdss-courses/mod/resource/view.php?id=67|url-status=live}}</ref>
-:'''Seelonce Mayday''' or '''Seelonce Distress''' means that the channel may only be used by the vessel in distress and the coastguard (and any other vessels they ask for assistance in handling the emergency). The channel may ''not'' be used for normal working traffic until 'seelonce feenee' is broadcast.
+The format for the "seelonce feenee" is MAYDAY, All stations x3, this is [controlling station] x3, date and time in UTC, distressed vessels MMSI number, distressed vessels name, distressed vessels call sign, SEELONCE FEENEE.<ref name="ITU-RR-2016" />
-:The expressions '''Stop Transmitting — Distress''' and '''Stop Transmitting - Mayday''' are the aeronautical equivalents of Seelonce Mayday.
-:'''Seelonce Feenee''' (French: ''silence fini'' — silence finished) means that the emergency situation has been concluded and the channel may now be used normally. The word '''prudonce''' (''prudence'' caution) can also be used to allow restricted working to resume on that channel.
-:'''Distress Traffic Ended''' is the aeronautical equivalent of seelonce feenee.
-==References==
-{{Reflist}}
 ==See also==
 * [[Aircraft emergency frequency]]
-* [[Call for help]]
+* [[CQD]]
-* [[Distress signal]]
-* [[French phrases used by English speakers]]
 * [[Global Maritime Distress Safety System]]
-* [[Pan-pan]]
+* [[Sécurité]]
-* [[Securite]]
-* [[SOS]]
 * [[Vessel emergency codes]]
+==References==
+{{Reflist|30em}}
 ==External links==
-* [http://www.sailonline.com/seamanship/coastie/distress.html Handling Distress and Help Calls]
+* [http://www.sailonline.com/seamanship/general-seamanship/distress-calls-at-sea Handling Distress and Help Calls]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110718041052/http://jcs.dtic.mil/j6/cceb/acps/acp135/ACP135F.pdf ACP135(F): Communications Instructions: Distress and Rescue Procedures]
-* [http://www.islander.org/5-11-05/skyway.mp3 Audio recording of Mayday call made from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge Collapse, Tampa Bay, Florida, May 1980 (MP3 format)] (updated URI, Jun 29 2005)
-* [http://www.boatingsafety.com/vhf1.htm Boating Safety: A VHF Primer, the use and misuse of the VHF]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130103071227/http://www.boatingsafety.com/vhf1.htm Boating Safety: A VHF Primer, the use and misuse of the VHF]
+* {{YouTube| 9KhZwsYtNDE|Dead passenger on plane  after bird strikes}}
-* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KhZwsYtNDE ThomsonFly Passenger Aircraft calling Mayday after bird strike]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120331125636/http://www.tc.gc.ca/publications/BIL/TP9878/PDF/HR/TP9878.PDF Transport Canada: Radio Distress Procedures Card TP9878]
-* [http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/Videos/flightassist.mp3 9815 Lima loses control of aircraft, stuck in bad weather.]
-* [http://www.tc.gc.ca/publications/BIL/TP9878/PDF/HR/TP9878.PDF Transport Canada: Radio Distress Procedures Card TP9878]
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayday (Distress Signal)}}
 [[Category:Emergency communication]]
+[[Category:History of air traffic control]]
+[[Category:International telecommunications]]
 [[Category:Rescue]]
+[[Category:Distress signals]]
+[[Category:Telecommunications-related introductions in 1923]]
-[[cs:Mayday]]
-[[da:Mayday]]
-[[de:Mayday (Notruf)]]
-[[es:Mayday]]
-[[fr:Mayday]]
-[[id:Mayday (tanda bahaya)]]
-[[it:Mayday]]
-[[hu:Mayday]]
-[[nl:Mayday (radiosignaal)]]
-[[pl:Mayday]]
-[[pt:Mayday]]
-[[ru:Mayday (сигнал бедствия)]]
-[[fi:Mayday]]
-[[sv:Mayday]]
-[[tr:Mayday]]
-[[zh:Mayday 求救訊號]]