ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF A DISTRESS MESSAGE

1. Stations of the mobile service which receive a distress message from a mobile station which is, beyond any possible doubt in their vicinity, shall immediately acknowledge receipt.
2. However, in areas where reliable communications with one or more coast stations are practicable. Ship station should defer this acknowledgement for a short interval so that a coast station may be acknowledge receipt.
3. Station of the mobile service which receive a distress message from a mobile station which, beyond any possible doubt, is not in their vicinity, shall allow a short interval of time to elapse before acknowledging receipt of the message, in order to permit stations nearer to the mobile station in distress to acknowledge receipt without interference.
4. However, stations in the marine service which receive a distress message from a mobile station which, beyond any possible doubt, is a long distance away need not acknowledge receipt of messages except as specified.

THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF A DISTRESS MESSAGE SHALL BE GIVEN IN THE FOLLOWING FORM:

a) RADIOTELEGRAPHY:
*the distress signal SOS
*the call sign of the station sending the distress message, sent three times
*the word DE
*the distress signal SOS

b) RADIOTELEPHONY:
*the distress signal MAYDAY
*the call sigh sending the distress message, spoken 3 times
*the word THIS IS or DE spoken as DELTA ECHO in case of language difficulties
*the call sign or other identification of the station acknowledging the message, spoken three times.
*the word RECEIVED (or RRR spoken as ROMEO ROMEO ROMEO in case of language difficulties)
*the distress signal MAYDAY