distress beacon
SOS signal device
A distress beacon is a device that transmits an emergency signal to alert rescuers of a person's location.
Most are activated manually during life-threatening situations—shipwrecks, plane crashes, wilderness emergencies.
The signal typically reaches satellites that relay coordinates to search-and-rescue services: The hiker activated her distress beacon when she broke her leg on the mountain.
- SOSMorse distress code
- maydayRadio emergency signal
- emergencySerious sudden danger
- emergency signalAlert indicating urgent danger
- rescueSave from harm
search and rescue · coast guard · flare · signal · stranded · plane crash · survival · coastguard · helicopter · lost · ocean · wilderness · transmitter · locator · ping · frequency · desperate · last resort
- space travelspaceship, starship, spacecraft, astronaut, rocket
- rescue equipmentlife jacket, life vest, life buoy, life preserver, life net
- signalssignal, signals, signaling, sign, waved
- boat safetylife raft, lifebuoy, life vests, flare, fire extinguisher
- distress signalssignal flare, flare, flare gun, ELT, smoke signal
- radio beaconsELT
distress, beacon, stress, stresses, stressed, stressing, stressful, stressor, distressed