iPhone 14’s Emergency SOS feature saves two people stuck 300 feet deep in a canyon

How is Apple Emergency SOS via Satellite credited for saving lives in the recent accident?

According to MacRumors, the incident happened on the Angeles Forest Highway in the Californian Angeles National Forest. It involved a car that veered off the side of a mountain and fell around 300 feet into a secluded ravine. Because there was no cellular coverage, information was sent to rescuers using Emergency SOS via Satellite by an iPhone 14 model in the vehicle, which also detected the collision.

One of Apple’s relay centres received an Emergency SOS via Satellite text message from the victims. An employee of the relay centre subsequently contacted the LA County Sheriff’s department to request assistance.

The Montrose Research and Rescue Team found the two crash victims, who were then airlifted out of the vehicle with a helicopter. They were saved, transported to a nearby hospital, and treated for minor to moderate wounds as the rescue operation was documented on camera.

Here’s how Apple Emergency SOS via Satellite works

Emergency SOS uses a satellite link and an iPhone-friendly UI to help iPhone 14 users contact emergency services when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi access. A simple quiz allows users to answer vital questions with a few taps so emergency responders may immediately understand their state and location.

After completing the questionnaire, the user is guided by the user-friendly interface to point their iPhone in the connection direction. If enabled, the message comprises the user’s survey responses, location, altitude, iPhone battery level, and Medical ID.

The survey and follow-up messages are sent by satellite to dispatchers who accept text messages or to relay centres staffed by Apple-trained specialists who can make emergency calls on behalf of the user.

A few days ago ago, a stranded man in Alaska was saved via Emergency SOS via Satellite. The man travelling by snowmachine from Noorvik to Kotzebue activated the feature on his iPhone after getting lost on December 1, 2022. Later, volunteers then located the man and took him to Kotzebue.