Ever wondered why 'Mayday' is the universal cry for help in dire situations? Delve into the intriguing history and significance of this internationally recognized distress call, unraveling its origins and the reasons behind its universal acceptance.
World World War I:
“Mayday!” is an international distress call used by airplane pilots, boat captains, and emergency response personnel.
- The U.S. Coast Guard deals with roughly 25,000 distress calls every year, some of which involve the “mayday” code.
“Mayday” is a distress signal used by the U.S. and other countries
It originated in France as “m’aider” (help me) and is a distilled form of “venez-vous” (come help me).
- Due to radio interference and loud ambient noise, pilots are told to repeat the word three times.
Federal Aviation Administration encourages pilots to offer information in the following order so that emergency responders know exactly what they’re dealing with:
Mayday, MAYDAY, MAY-DAY
- Aircraft call sign and type
- Kind of emergency
- Weather
- Current position and heading
- altitude
- Number of people onboard
- Other pertinent details
