HOW TO CALL FOR HELP AT SEA - PORTUGAL, SPAIN, FRANCE

In Portugal, Spain, France and other countries the MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) - maintains a continuous listening watch on international distress frequencies VHF 16 or VHF DSC CH 70 (Not implemented in all the areas) Using a VHF Radio in an emergency

Where there is grave and imminent danger you can contact the MRCC uing the marine Very High Frequency (VHF) radio.

Option 1 - If your radio is equipped with Digital Selective Calling (DSC) press and hold the distress button until the alarm stops. Wait for 15 seconds. If you have GPS on board, link the DSC radio to the GPS. This will give your distress position.

Option 2 - Option 2: Mayday call STEP 1 Set the radio to Channel 16 on high power.

Press the microphone and speak slowly and clearly.

STEP 2

MAYDAY - DISTRESS CALL

In cases where there is grave or imminent danger to either the vessel or persons on board, then a MAYDAY should be broadcast in the following format:

• MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY,

• THIS IS ‘NAME OF VESSEL’, ‘NAME OF VESSEL’, ‘NAME OF VESSEL’ (State the name of the vessel three times)

• MAYDAY ‘NAME OF VESSEL’,

• POSITION (If possible give the position from a GPS receiver or bearings from and distance to any known fixed points e.g. “Position one mile South of Espichel Lighthouse”)

• NATURE OF DISTRESS (e.g. sinking, man overboard, fire on board, …)

• NUMBER OF PERSONS ABOARD.

• ANY OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION.

• OVER”

If is not in a life-threatening situation? You can do a Urgency call (PAN-PAN)

PAN-PAN - URGENCY CALL In cases that are considered to be grave but do not require immediate assistance and where there is no imminent danger to the vessel or persons on board, then a “PAN-PAN” should be broadcast in the following format:

• PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN, PAN-PAN, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS,

• THIS IS ‘NAME OF VESSEL’, ‘NAME OF VESSEL’, ‘NAME OF VESSEL’ (State the vessel’s name three times)

• POSITION (If possible give the position from a GPS receiver or bearings from and distance to any known fixed points e.g. “Position one mile South of Espichel Lighthouse”)

• NATURE OF THE URGENCY. (e.g. Vessel adrift, mechanical failure, …)

• NUMBER OF PERSONS ABOARD

• ASSISTANCE REQUIRED AND ANY FURTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION.

• OVER”

SECURITÉ - SAFETY CALL In cases where an important navigational or meteorological warning should be given e.g. an orca sighting, to point out a missing mark, a ship with lights off:

• SECURITÉ, SECURITÉ, SECURITÉ, ALL SHIPS, ALL SHIPS, ALL SHIPS,

• THIS IS ‘NAME OF VESSEL’, ‘NAME OF VESSEL’, ‘NAME OF VESSEL’ (State the vessel’s name three times)

• NATURE OF THE WARNING (e.g. Orcas Sighting, sudden storm, …)

• OVER”

In the case of maritime emergency and you want to comunicate via phone

PORTUGAL

EMERGENCY 112

EMERGENCY + 351 214 401 919

SPAIN

EMERGENCY 112

EMERGENCY 900 202 202

FRANCE

EMERGENCY 196

DISCLAIMER: ALL THIS INFORMATION MUST BE KNOWN BY THE CREW AND PART OF BOAT PROCEDURE AS PART OF SKIPPER RESPONSABILITY - orcas.pt is not responsible for any consequence of using this information correctly or not.