Which condition indicates a vessel is in distress?

A vessel is considered to be in distress when it is signaling its need for assistance or indicating an emergency situation. Sounding alarms is a clear indication of such a distress situation, as alarms are typically used on vessels to alert the crew to immediate dangers or emergencies that require action. This auditory signal communicates a critical need for help and is recognized internationally as a distress signal.

Other options do not serve as definitive indicators of distress. For example, raised flags can indicate various messages depending on the flags displayed, and while they can communicate different statuses, they do not inherently signal distress without the context of specific flags indicating such a situation. Polling crew members is a method of gathering information about the vessel’s condition but does not signal an emergency by itself. Reporting to harbor generally pertains to normal operational procedures and does not inherently indicate that a vessel is in distress.