How do you write a distress message?

The distress message is sent after the distress call and must contain the following information:

The distress signal MAYDAY.
The name or identification of the mobile station in distress.
The position of the ship in distress.
The nature of the distress and the type of assistance required.

Why do pilots say pan-pan?

Pan-Pan, short for “possible assistance needed,” is used to communicate an urgent, but not emergency, situation over VHF radio, in the case of aviation, to air traffic control. Examples could include a recreational pilot getting lost, or perhaps needing to climb to a higher altitude to sort a problem out.