Mayday

In aviation, 'Mayday' is a distress signal used during emergency situations. It is internationally recognized and is used to signal life-threatening emergencies primarily by aviators and mariners but can be used in a variety of other contexts. The term 'Mayday' originated from the French phrase 'm'aider', which means 'help me'. In aviation, it is used to communicate the most serious level of distress, such as engine failure, fire on board, or other life-threatening situations. The protocol requires the distress signal to be said three times in a row — 'Mayday, Mayday, Mayday' — to prevent its misinterpretation under noisy conditions, and to distinguish an actual Mayday call from a message about a Mayday call. After the initial distress call, the pilot in distress will provide additional information such as the nature of the emergency, location, intentions, and the type and number of people on board. It is important to note that misuse of the Mayday distress signal can result in penalties due to its serious nature.