Red flares off Capo Mele: relay or independent distress?
At 22:40 local time, the 18 m Italian-flagged motor yacht Stella di Mare (MMSI 247123456, four persons on board) is steering 090° at 8 kn in position 43°47.5′N 008°11.8′E, about 2.8 nm south-west of Capo Mele. Visibility is good, sea slight, wind north-west force 2. The yacht keeps a continuous VHF DSC watch on channel 70 and a radiotelephony watch on channel 16. Two red parachute flares are seen bearing 030° at an estimated range of 3 nm. No DSC distress alert and no MAYDAY call have been heard. Radar shows a 12 m motor cruiser stopped and rolling heavily, but it shows no navigation lights. Repeated calls on channel 16 produce no answer. The yacht’s VHF set is 25 W with an external antenna and a GPS input to the DSC controller; the battery bank is healthy. The skipper must decide what to transmit and whether to activate the yacht’s own DSC distress button.
1. What is the correct distress priority and initial radio action? Explain whether the skipper should press the DSC distress button, send a DSC distress relay, or use a voice MAYDAY RELAY on channel 16.
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Treat the flares as a distress indication until proved otherwise. The first action is to keep the DSC and channel 16 watches and try once more to establish contact with the cruiser on channel 16, giving the yacht’s name, position and the fact that flares have been sighted. Do not press the red DSC distress button: that would identify Stella di Mare as the vessel in distress and would transmit the yacht’s own position, creating a false alert. A DSC distress relay is intended primarily to relay a received DSC distress alert; here no DSC alert has been received, so the correct route is a voice MAYDAY RELAY addressed to all stations and, in particular, to the coast station. Notify MRCC Roma as soon as possible. The priority is distress, but the relay must make clear that the yacht itself is not the casualty. Keep the transmission short and repeat only if no acknowledgment is received.
2. Draft the core of the MAYDAY RELAY message and explain how it should be addressed and what information must be included.
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A suitable core message is: 'MAYDAY RELAY, MAYDAY RELAY, MAYDAY RELAY. All stations, all stations, all stations. This is Stella di Mare, Stella di Mare, Stella di Mare, MMSI 247123456. MAYDAY RELAY from Stella di Mare. Position 43°47.5′N 008°11.8′E. Two red parachute flares sighted bearing 030°, range 3 nm. One 12 m motor cruiser stopped, no lights, not answering channel 16. My vessel is not in distress. I am standing by and keeping watch on channel 16. Over.' The words 'MAYDAY RELAY' must be used, not 'MAYDAY', because the yacht is relaying another vessel’s distress and is not itself in distress. The message must identify the relaying station, give its position, describe the casualty and the observed distress, and state that the relaying vessel is not the casualty. Address it to all stations so that both coast and ship stations can respond, but expect the coast station to take control.
3. The cruiser answers on channel 16 and reports engine failure but no immediate danger. How should the relay be closed and what watch and coordination should continue?
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The cruiser’s answer changes the picture from an unconfirmed distress indication to a known vessel with engine failure and no immediate danger. The relaying yacht should pass the cruiser’s details to MRCC Roma or the responding coast station and should not unilaterally broadcast a formal cancellation of distress. Cancellation or closure of distress traffic is normally made by the station in distress or by the coast station controlling the incident. The yacht should offer assistance, establish bridge-to-bridge contact on a working channel such as channel 06 or 72 as directed, and keep a continuous channel 16 watch. It should remain on scene or stand by until released by the coast station or until the cruiser is safely taken in tow. Log the times, positions, calls and the final outcome. If the coast station takes over, the yacht should follow its instructions and avoid unnecessary transmissions that could interfere with the incident.