What is MAYDAY?

Mayday is an international distress signal used in emergencies, especially in aviation and maritime communication.

Meaning: MAYDAY is an international distress signal used in voice radio communications to signal a life-threatening emergency.

Origin: The word comes from the French phrase “m’aidez” (pronounced roughly like "may-day"), which means “help me”.

Usage: Pilots, ship captains, and emergency personnel say “MAYDAY” (repeated three times: “MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY”) to alert rescue services that they are in grave danger and require immediate help.

Example:

“MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY, engine failure, requesting immediate assistance.”

Why repeated 3 times?
Repeating it helps ensure clarity, especially in noisy or bad signal conditions.