Sec.  80.321   Acknowledgement of receipt of distress message.

   (a) Stations of the maritime mobile service which receive a distress message
   from a mobile station which is beyond any possible doubt in their vicinity
   must immediately acknowledge receipt. However, in areas where reliable
   communication with one or more coast stations is practicable, ship stations
   may defer this acknowledgement for a short interval so that a coast station
   may acknowledge receipt.

   (b) Stations of the maritime mobile service which receive a distress message
   from  a mobile station which beyond any possible doubt is not in their
   vicinity, must allow a short interval of time to elapse before acknowledging
   receipt of the message in order to permit stations nearer to the mobile
   station in distress to acknowledge receipt without interference.