(1) The master of a Ghanaian ship shall on receiving a signal at sea from any source that a ship or an aircraft or survival craft is in distress, hasten to assist the persons in distress and inform those persons immediately if possible that the master is doing so, and where

(a) the master is unable to do so, or

(b) in the special circumstances of the case the master considers it unreasonable or unnecessary to proceed to their assistance, the master shall enter in the log book of the ship the reason for failing to proceed to the assistance of the persons in distress.

(2) A master of a ship shall be released from the obligation imposed by subsection (1) when the master learns that one or more ships, other than the master's ship, have been requisitioned under section 227 and are complying with the requisition.

(3) Where a master fails to comply with the provisions of this section the master commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years or to both the fine and the imprisonment.