5204. You are underway in the Gulf of Mexico when you hear a distress message over the VHF radio. The position of the sender is about 20 miles south of Galveston, TX, and you are about 80 miles ESE of Galveston. What action should you take?

When receiving a distress message via VHF, defer acknowledgment briefly to allow a coast station to take control, as standard procedures prioritize coordination by a designated authority, especially when the reporting vessel is distant from the distress location.