Mayday, Pan-Pan and Securite: The Three Radio Calls Explained

Marine radio uses three internationally recognised priority calls to signal how urgent a message is: Mayday, Pan-Pan and Securite. Choosing the right one tells everyone listening how serious the situation is and how they should respond. Getting them right is a fundamental part of safe boating and a common feature of radio and skipper exams.

This guide explains what each call means, when to use it, and the exact format of a distress message. Reading the words aloud a few times until they feel natural is time well spent, because in a real emergency you want the procedure to come automatically.

The Three Levels of Priority

Each call word signals a different level of urgency, and they take priority over ordinary radio traffic in this order.

• Mayday is the distress signal. It means grave and imminent danger to a vessel or person, and a need for immediate assistance. Examples include sinking, fire, a serious medical emergency or a person overboard you cannot recover.
• Pan-Pan (spoken “pan-pan”) is the urgency signal. It means an urgent situation concerning the safety of a vessel or person, but without the immediate, life-threatening danger of a Mayday. Examples include a breakdown drifting towards a hazard, or a medical problem that needs advice but is not immediately life-threatening.
• Securite (spoken “say-cure-ee-tay”) is the safety signal. It precedes messages about navigation or weather safety, such as a hazard to navigation or a gale warning. It is not a call for help.

Understanding the difference matters because it lets rescuers allocate resources correctly. Calling Mayday for a minor problem wastes rescue effort; downplaying a genuine emergency risks lives.

When to Use Mayday

Use Mayday only when there is grave and imminent danger and you need immediate help. If in doubt about whether a situation is a Mayday or a Pan-Pan, and life is at risk, treat it as a Mayday.

If your radio has DSC, first press the distress button to send a digital alert on channel 70, then make the spoken Mayday call on channel 16. The word “Mayday” is spoken three times so it is unmistakable, followed by your details.

The coastguard will normally take control of a distress situation, acknowledge your call, and coordinate the response. Stay by the radio, follow their instructions, and keep them updated.

The Mayday Message Format

A distress message follows a set structure so nothing important is missed. Speak slowly and clearly.

1. “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.”
2. “This is [vessel name, spoken three times].”
3. “Mayday [vessel name once].”
4. Your position, as a latitude and longitude or a bearing and distance from a known point.
5. The nature of the distress, for example “we are sinking” or “we have a fire on board.”
6. The assistance you require.
7. The number of people on board.
8. Any other useful information, such as that you are taking to the liferaft.
9. “Over.”

A simple way to remember the core is to state who you are, where you are, what is wrong and how many people are aboard. Keep it factual and calm.

When to Use Pan-Pan

Pan-Pan covers urgent situations that are not immediately life-threatening. The word “Pan-Pan” is spoken three times at the start of the message, and the format is otherwise similar to a Mayday: who you are, where you are, what the problem is and what you need.

Typical uses include an engine failure while drifting in a shipping lane, a rigging failure, or a medical situation where you need advice or arrangements for assistance ashore but no one is in immediate danger. A Pan-Pan can be upgraded to a Mayday if the situation worsens, so do not hesitate to escalate.

When to Use Securite

Securite messages warn other vessels about matters affecting safety of navigation. They are usually broadcast by coastguard stations, but a vessel may also make one.

The word “Securite” is spoken three times, followed by the message. Examples include reporting a floating container that is a hazard to navigation, or a coastguard broadcasting a strong-wind warning. Announcements are often made on channel 16 with a direction to switch to a working channel for the detail. As a listener, note the information and act on it if it affects you.

Putting It Into Practice

The best way to be ready is to rehearse. Write out a Mayday for your own boat with its name, then practise saying it until it flows. Make sure your crew know where the radio is, how to send a DSC alert and how to read a distress message, because you may not be the one able to make the call.

These procedures are core knowledge for skipper and radio certificates. The boatingexamine course walks through the calls with clear examples so you can recall the format under pressure, not just recognise it on a multiple-choice question.

FAQ

When should I use Pan-Pan instead of Mayday? Use Pan-Pan for urgent situations that are not immediately life-threatening, such as a breakdown drifting towards danger or a medical problem needing advice. Use Mayday when there is grave and imminent danger and you need immediate assistance. If life is at risk and you are unsure, choose Mayday.

How many times do I say the call word? The priority word, Mayday, Pan-Pan or Securite, is spoken three times at the start of the message so there is no doubt about the priority. Your vessel name is also spoken three times in the opening of a distress or urgency call.

What information must a Mayday include? Your vessel’s identity, your position, the nature of the distress, the assistance you need and the number of people on board. Add anything else useful, such as that you are abandoning to a liferaft, then say “over” and wait for a response.