USCG Exam Practice · Rule 37 — Distress Signals
Which of the following is a recognized distress signal under 33 CFR Part 87?
- AA white parachute flare fired at intervals of one minute
- BA square flag having above or below it a ball or anything resembling a ball✓ correct
- CFour short blasts on the whistle repeated at two-minute intervals
- DA searchlight directed toward the danger in a sweeping arc
Why B is correct
33 CFR §87.01(g) lists a signal consisting of a square flag having above or below it a ball or anything resembling a ball as an official distress signal. Four short blasts is a pilot vessel identity signal (33 CFR §83.35(k)), and a searchlight directed toward danger is a signal to attract attention under 33 CFR §83.36, not a distress signal.
Cited:33 CFR §87.01
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