What is the main purpose of distress signals?

The main purpose of distress signals is to communicate an emergency situation and request assistance. When a vessel is in distress, it needs to alert nearby vessels and rescue services to its predicament. Distress signals can take various forms, including visual signals like flares, audible signals like horns, and radio communications like mayday calls. These signals are essential for prompting a quick response from other ships or shore stations, enabling rescue operations to commence as soon as possible.

The other options do not align with the primary intent of distress signals. Indicating a vessel's coordinates is important for navigation but not the objective of distress signaling. Signaling safe passage pertains more to navigational safety rather than emergencies. Providing weather updates is a separate function related to maritime safety but does not involve distress communication.