33 CFR 87.1 : Navigation And Navigable Waters (Section 1.01-1 To Parts 404-499) — Coast Guard, Department Of Homeland Security (Continued) (Parts 1 - 199) (Section 1.01-1 To Parts 188-199) — Inland Navigation Rules (Parts 83 - 90) (Section 83.01 To Section 90.7) — Annex Iv: Distress Signals (Section 87.1 To Section 87.5) — Need of assistance.

31 Dec 2014

The following signals, used or exhibited either together or separately, indicate distress and need of assistance:

(a) A gun or other explosive signal fired at intervals of about a minute.

(b) A continuous sounding with any fog-signaling apparatus;

(c) Rockets or shells, throwing red stars fired one at a time at short intervals;

(d) A signal made by radiotelegraphy or by any other signaling method consisting of the group . . . — — — . . . (SOS) in the Morse Code,

(e) A signal sent by radiotelephony consisting of the spoken word “Mayday”;

(f) The International Code Signal of distress indicated by N.C.

(g) A signal consisting of a square flag having above or below it a ball or anything resembling a ball;

(h) Flames on the vessel (as from a burning tar barrel, oil barrel, etc.);

(i) A rocket parachute flare or a hand flare showing a red light;

(j) A smoke signal giving off orange-colored smoke;

(k) Slowly and repeatedly raising and lowering arms outstretched to each side;

(l) The radiotelegraph alarm signal;

(m) The radiotelephone alarm signal;

(n) Signals transmitted by emergency position-indicating radio beacons;

(o) Signals transmitted by radiocommunication systems, including survival craft radar transponders meeting the requirements of 47 CFR 80.1095.

(p) A high intensity white light flashing at regular intervals from 50 to 70 times per minute.

33 CFR 87.1
[CGD 81-007, 47 FR 16174, Apr. 15, 1982, as amended by CGD 89-024, 55 FR 3947, Feb. 6, 1990; CGD 94-011, 63 FR 5732, Feb. 4, 1998]