The radiotelephony message PAN-PAN is the international standard urgency signal that someone aboard a boat, ship, aircraft, or other vehicle uses to declare that they need help and that the situation is urgent,[1][2][3] but for the time being, does not pose an immediate danger to anyone's life or to the vessel itself.
This is distinct from a mayday call (distress signal), which means that there is imminent danger to life or to the continued viability of the vessel itself.
[5] Radioing "pan-pan" informs potential rescuers (including emergency services and other craft in the area) that an urgent problem exists, whereas "mayday" calls on them to drop all other activities and immediately begin a rescue.
The exact representation of PAN in Morse code is the urgency signal XXX ( ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ), which was first defined by the International Radiotelegraph Convention of 1927.
[15][16] This type of call is specifically for getting a physician's advice for a medical problem that does not, in the opinion of the skipper or master of the vessel, seem life-threatening.
Examples of the correct use of a "pan-pan" call from a boat or ship may include the following cases, provided the skipper or master remains confident they can handle the situation, and that there is no current danger to the life of any person or to the safety of the vessel.