SOS is the International Morse code rescue signal.
SOS is not the abbreviation of any word. Due to the frequent occurrence of shipwrecks in the past, it often failed to send a distress signal in time and organize rescue as soon as possible, resulting in great casualties and property losses. The International Convention on radiotelegraph officially identified it as an international general distress signal in 1908.
The three letter combination has no practical significance, just because its code has three dots, three dashes, and then three dots. In a telegram, it is the code most easily sent by the sender and most easily recognized by the receiver. The light emission methods are: short light, long light and short light.
In July 1998, the world's first international medical risk management company - International SOS rescue center (SOS) was established. Headquartered in London and Singapore.
So far, SOS has 103 permanent institutions and 170 temporary institutions, which are distributed in more than 60 countries on five continents. It has 10 aircraft dedicated to medical emergency rescue and transfer. SOS has 4000 full-time staff and can provide services in 77 languages every day.
Because SOS signal is simple and clear, it is adopted by countries all over the world. Now, both ships and aircraft can use SOS for help in case of danger. After receiving this signal, anyone and any country has the obligation to go to the rescue, which has become an international practice.