A Miracle Amid a Massive Avalanche... The Secret Behind the Feature That Saved Six Lives

Rescue Request Made via iPhone "Emergency SOS" Feature

A massive avalanche struck the mountainous region of Northern California, and it was reported that six survivors were able to be rescued thanks to the iPhone’s satellite-based Emergency SOS feature.

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According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 18th (local time), the six survivors of the avalanche that occurred the previous day near Lake Tahoe, California, used the iPhone’s Emergency SOS feature to exchange messages with rescue authorities.

The iPhone’s Emergency SOS feature allows users to connect to a satellite and send text messages to emergency services even when the phone is not connected to cellular service or Wi-Fi. Users first attempt to call an emergency number such as 911, and if the call does not go through, an SOS message is sent via satellite.

Thanks to the Emergency SOS feature, the group was able to maintain continuous contact with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, which was overseeing the rescue efforts. Don O’Keefe, chief of law enforcement at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, said, “One of our personnel exchanged messages with one of the guides over a four-hour period, relayed the information to the Nevada Sheriff’s Office, and coordinated what rescue operations would be possible.”

The Emergency SOS feature is installed on all iPhone 14, 15, 16, and 17 models. In the United States, it requires the iOS 16.1 or later operating system. The feature is provided free of charge for two years after the iPhone is activated.

For an iPhone to connect to a satellite, the user must be outdoors in a location with a clear view of the sky and the horizon. Once connected, the phone sends a text message to emergency responders, and the rescue team asks for information such as the user’s location, emergency contacts, and remaining battery level. iPhone users can also send text messages to family or acquaintances via satellite even in places without cellular service or Wi-Fi.

Meanwhile, on the same day in the Castle Peak area near Lake Tahoe, Nevada, eight participants in a ski trip who had been swept away by an avalanche were found dead. The group consisted of a total of 15 people, including four ski guides and 11 clients, and on the morning of the 17th, they were returning from a backcountry ski trip when they were caught in the avalanche and met with disaster. Of these, six were rescued, but eight died, and the one missing person is also presumed dead.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.