EMERGENCY NUMBERS · SPAIN · CHECKED 2 OCTOBER 2026
Spain: who to call at sea
SHORT ANSWER
Along the coast of Spain, 11 rescue centres share the work — the right one depends on where you are (list below). 112 works from any phone. On the radio: MAYDAY on VHF channel 16, or a DSC distress alert on channel 70.
Rescue centres for Spain
SPANISH + ENGLISH
MRCC Finisterre · Finisterre Salvamento
Source: salvamentomaritimo.es (CCS 24 h numbers, archived 2023) + EU coast-guard list · authority’s page (archived copy)
Who you are, where you are (latitude and longitude), what happened, how many people are aboard, and what your boat looks like. The step-by-step guide has the exact words — by phone and on VHF.
Call MRCC Finisterre on +34 981 76 75 00, or 112 from any phone. With a VHF radio, send MAYDAY on channel 16 or a DSC distress alert on channel 70.
Does 112 work at sea in Spain?+
112 works wherever your phone has signal and is passed on to the rescue services. Calling the maritime rescue centre directly removes a transfer step — minutes that can matter.
Which rescue centre is responsible for me?+
The one whose search-and-rescue area you are in — not the country of your SIM card. Near borders that can change during a trip; the VesselSOS app picks it from your GPS position.
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