Marine and Safety (Collision) Regulations 2017

This regulation applies if the master of a vessel transmits, or causes or allows the transmission of, an international distress signal from the vessel but later determines that the vessel is no longer in need of assistance.

As soon as practicable after determining that the vessel is no longer in need of assistance, the master of the vessel must transmit a message revoking the international distress signal or cause such a message to be transmitted. Fine not exceeding 50 penalty units.

For the purposes of subregulation (2), a message revoking an international distress signal is not taken to have been transmitted until the message has been acknowledged by a coast station.

In this regulation – international distress signal means a distress signal prescribed in Annex IV of the International Regulations; transmit means transmit by means of a ship radio.