Section 87.01 - Need of assistanceThe following signals, used or exhibited either together or separately, indicate distress and need of assistance:
(a) A gun or other explosive signal fired at intervals of about a minute;(b) A continuous sounding with any fog-signaling apparatus;(c) Rockets or shells, throwing red stars fired one at a time at short intervals;(d) A signal made by any method consisting of the group . . . - - - . . . (SOS) in the Morse Code;(e) A signal sent by radiotelephony consisting of the spoken word "Mayday";(f) The International Code Signal of distress indicated by N.C.;(g) A signal consisting of a square flag having above or below it a ball or anything resembling a ball;(h) Flames on the vessel (as from a burning tar barrel, oil barrel, etc.);(i) A rocket parachute flare or a hand flare showing a red light;(j) A smoke signal giving off orange-colored smoke;(k) Slowly and repeatedly raising and lowering arms outstretched to each side;(l) A distress alert by means of digital selective calling (DSC) transmitted on:(ii) MF/HF on the frequencies 2187.5 kHz, 8414.5 kHz, 4207.5 kHz, 6312 kHz, 12577 kHz or 16804.5 kHz;(m) A ship-to-shore distress alert transmitted by the ship's Inmarsat or other mobile satellite service provider ship earth station;(n) Signals transmitted by emergency position-indicating radio beacons;(o) Signals transmitted by radiocommunication systems, including survival craft radar transponders meeting the requirements of 47 CFR 80.1095 ; and(p) A high intensity white light flashing at regular intervals from 50 to 70 times per minute.