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Distress Signals in Aviation and Maritime

1 UPSC Prelims MCQs tagged "Distress Signals in Aviation and Maritime". Free practice with answer keys, explanations, and timed mock tests on Anantam IAS.

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  1. The term ‘Mayday’, seen in the news in the context of recent maritime and…

    The term 'Mayday', seen in the news in the context of recent maritime and aviation incidents, refers to:

    1. AAn automated warning system that instantly alerts nearby vessels or air traffic controllers of a sudden loss of engine power.
    2. BAn internationally recognized voice distress signal used to indicate that a vessel or aircraft is facing a grave and imminent danger to life.
    3. CA designated emergency radio frequency used exclusively by coast guards and naval authorities to issue severe weather warnings.
    4. DAn encrypted transponder code utilized by commercial pilots to discreetly signal a hijacking or terror threat to ground control.
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: B

    Mayday is the standard international voice distress call used by pilots and mariners when life is in grave and imminent danger, and it's repeated three times for clarity. It comes from the French 'm'aider', meaning 'help me'. It isn't an automated system, a fixed frequency or an encrypted code, which rules out the other options.

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    Current Affairs UPSC GPSC-2026 Easy