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VHF / DSC

PAN-PAN

Technical visualDistress, urgency, and safety signals
Distress, urgency, and safety signalsThree signals distinguish MAYDAY for distress needing immediate assistance, PAN-PAN for urgency, and SÉCURITÉ for important navigational or meteorological safety information.MAYDAYPAN-PANSÉCURITÉIMMEDIATEASSISTANCEURGENCYNAVIGATION ORWEATHER SAFETY
Distress, urgency, and safety signalsThree signals distinguish MAYDAY for distress needing immediate assistance, PAN-PAN for urgency, and SÉCURITÉ for important navigational or meteorological safety information.MAYDAYPAN-PANSÉCURITÉIMMEDIATE ASSISTANCEURGENCYNAVIGATION OR WEATHER SAFETY
The signal should match the actual severity and developing risk.

PAN-PAN signals urgency.

Use it for an urgent situation concerning the safety of a vessel or person that does not presently require a MAYDAY distress call.

Examples depend on circumstances. A propulsion failure in a safe position may be urgency or routine assistance. The same failure while drifting toward rocks may rapidly become distress.

Severity and developing risk matter more than the equipment fault itself.

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