Section 272: Signals of Distress

(1)
The Minister may make Rules to prescribe what signals shall be used by ships as signals of distress and the circumstances in which and the purposes for distress which any signal prescribed by any such Order is to be used and the circumstances in which it is to be revoked.
(2)
A person who uses, displays, causes, or permits any person under his authority to use or display-
(a)
any signal prescribed by any Rules made or deemed to have been made under this section, except in the circumstances and for the purposes prescribed by the rules made or deemed to have been made pursuant to this section; or
(b)
any private signal that is liable to be mistaken for any signal so prescribed by any rule, commits an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine not less than fifty thousand Naira, and; in addition, shall pay compensation for any labour undertaken, risk incurred or loss sustained in consequence of the signals having been supposed to be signal of distress; and that compensation may, without prejudice to any other remedy, be recovered in the same manner as salvage is recoverable.
(3)
Nothing in subsection (3) of section 275 of this Act shall interfere with the transmission of signals prescribed under this section.