If you hear distress traffic and are unable to render direct assistance you should:

In emergency situations, amateur radio operators must prioritize safety and assistance. If you hear distress traffic but cannot provide direct physical help, the correct protocol is to contact the appropriate emergency authorities so they can coordinate a proper response. After notifying the authorities, you should maintain a listening watch on the frequency. This ensures that you can provide further information to officials if the situation changes or if the authorities need your station to relay critical messages. Distractors such as taking no action or merely logging the event ignore the moral and regulatory duty to assist in an emergency. Telling others to cease transmitting is usually the responsibility of the station in distress or the designated controlling station, unless you are explicitly asked to help clear the frequency.