Under what situation are you permitted to make a distress call?

A distress call is a critical communication made to indicate that a vessel or individual is in grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance. The regulations governing maritime communication emphasize the importance of this type of alert to ensure that emergency services can prioritize their response effectively.

Making a distress call when in grave and imminent danger is essential because it communicates an urgent situation to other vessels and rescue authorities. This necessity helps coordinate efforts to assist those in peril, reducing the likelihood of serious harm or loss of life.

The other options, while they may reflect situations where one might feel the need for communication, do not meet the strict criteria for a distress call. For instance, feeling unsafe does not necessarily equate to being in grave danger, and it is crucial to reserve distress signals for scenarios where immediate action is required. Training exercises are intended for practice and should not involve real distress signals. Similarly, while authorization from a shore station relates to operational protocols, it does not supersede the requirement for indicating actual life-threatening emergencies.