What must vessels do to avoid danger when signaling distress?

Displaying visual distress signals is crucial for vessels to communicate their need for assistance to others in the vicinity. These signals can include flags, lights, and other indicators that are widely recognized as distress signals, making them an effective way to alert nearby boaters, aircraft, or rescue services to the vessel’s situation.

In an emergency, it is vital that the signaling method used is clearly visible to others, as it can prompt a timely response. Such visual signals can range from an orange flag or a distress torch to flares, which have specific meanings recognized by maritime authorities and are designed to attract attention effectively.

Other methods, while possibly beneficial, do not cater to the immediacy or visibility that visual signals provide for a vessel in distress. Sound signals, for instance, are also useful but may not be sufficient on their own, especially if there are no nearby vessels to hear them or if background noise makes them difficult to detect. Turning off all lights, as mentioned in one of the options, would hinder visibility at night, and remaining tied to the dock is not practical in a distress situation where mobility might be required to evade danger. Therefore, utilizing visual distress signals is the most effective and recognized method for ensuring that help is sought during emergencies on the