You are underway in mid-ocean when you hear a distress message. The position of the sender is 150 miles away. No other vessel has acknowledged the distress. Your maximum speed is 5 knots and due to the seriousness of the distress, you cannot arrive on scene to provide effective assistance. What action should you take?

Correct Answer: Option D — Use the signal MAYDAY RELAY and transmit the distress message.

When a vessel receives a distant distress message and cannot render assistance due to distance or speed, SOLAS and GMDSS protocols mandate transmitting a MAYDAY RELAY. This alerts Maritime Rescue Coordination Centers and closer vessels that the original distress has not been acknowledged, ensuring coordinated rescue response.