What does a signal of five or more short and rapid blasts typically indicate in a collision avoidance context?

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In collision avoidance, five or more short, rapid blasts is the danger signal. It tells you that the vessel emitting them believes the other vessel is not taking appropriate action to avoid a collision. The proper response is for you to take action yourself to avoid the risk—alter course, slow down, or otherwise maneuver to increase clearance. It isn’t a distress signal, nor is it a request to pass behind or ahead; those intentions are conveyed by different signals or maneuvers. So when you hear that five-short-blast pattern, you should actively adjust your own actions to prevent a collision.