Question 7 Deck Safety

70% to pass

You are underway in mid-ocean, when you hear a distress message over the VHF radio. The position of the sender is 20 miles away. What action should you take?

A Defer acknowledgment for a short interval so that a coast station may acknowledge receipt.
B Do not acknowledge because you are too far away to take action.
C Immediately acknowledge receipt of the distress message.
D Do not acknowledge receipt until other ships nearer to the distress have acknowledged.
AI Explanation

The correct answer is C) Immediately acknowledge receipt of the distress message. When a distress message is received over the VHF radio, the Coast Guard regulations require the receiving vessel to immediately acknowledge receipt of the message, regardless of their distance from the distressed vessel. This is to ensure the distressed vessel knows their message has been received and help is on the way. Even if the receiving vessel is too far away to directly assist, they should still acknowledge the message so the distressed vessel is aware their call for help has been heard. The other options are incorrect as they do not follow the proper protocols for responding to a distress message.

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Official Resources
46 CFR Lifesaving Equipment USCG Marine Safety Center USCG National Maritime Center
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