iPhone SOS Alert Helped in Rescue of 3 Backcountry Skiers in Washington State
Three backcountry skiers were rescued last week near Stevens Pass in Washington state thanks to an emergency alert from an Apple iPhone—and the dramatic operation was captured on camera.
In a Facebook post shared on Monday, Jan. 27, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said the operation began when authorities received "an SOS alert from the skier's iPhone and utilizing text-to-911 dispatch to coordinate a joint effort to rescue the injured skiers," on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
The King County Sheriff's Office confirmed to PEOPLE on Tuesday, Jan. 28, that the alert emanated from an iPhone as some media outlets previously reported the SOS alert came from an Apple Watch.
The King County Sheriff's Office Air Support Unit provided assistance to the Chelan County Sheriff's Office in the rescue, which occurred before sunset.
Related: More Than 170 Snowboarders and Skiers Rescued After Colorado Ski Lift Breaks Down
The skiers were out of cell phone range but managed to send out an emergency alert from their Apple device via satellite. The information transmitted was then received by authorities, ABC's Good Morning America reported.
"Without some sort of satellite communication device, this story could have a very different ending, a very tragic ending because of the temperatures that the skiers were skiing in and the distance they were away from any kind of civilization," said King County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Jason Stanley, according to ABC News.
Footage later released by the King County Sheriff's Office Air Support Unit showed rescuers pinpointing the location of the stranded skiers in the mountain area. Two of the skiers reportedly fell 500 feet, while another was uninjured.
A rescuer can be seen in the video being hoisted down from a helicopter to the skiers around 7:30 p.m. local time.
'We'll try to take all three [skiers] … we're not leaving one behind,' a dispatcher said in the footage.
"They were down at the base of some really steep terrain, near some pretty tall trees," Tony Mullinax, a deputy pilot with the King County Sheriff's Office, told ABC News. "It was really, really dark where we were going."
Related: Ski Lift Collapse Injures Dozens of People and Traps About 80 Skiers in Chairlifts at Resort: 'We Were Hurt'
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
All three skiers, who have not been identified, were rescued and were taken to a Seattle hospital, said authorities, Good Morning America reported.
'This great outcome could have had a different ending if it wasn't for a little technology at work,' the Chelan County Sheriff's Office's Facebook post noted.
'This is a great example of why strong relationships and partnerships between law enforcement agencies are so important,' the department added. 'We continue to serve our communities with the most highly qualified personnel, utilizing the resources entrusted to us.'
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man Buries Himself in Snow for Over 2 Hours to Break World Record: 'the Heavy Snow Pressed Me Down'
A Swiss man holds the world record for the longest amount of time in full-body contact with snow Elias Meyer, a competitive powerlifter, took the title on April 2, 2024, after he spent 2 hours, 7 seconds buried under a pile of snow The previous record was held by Polish man Valerjan Romanvoski at 1 hour, 45 minutes, 2 secondsA Swiss man holds the world record for the longest amount of time in full-body contact with snow. Elias Meyer, a competitive powerlifter, took the title on April 2, 2024, after he spent 2 hours, 7 seconds buried under a pile of snow over 3 ft. tall, according to Guinness World Records. Meyer wore nothing but swim shorts during the experience. 'I needed a new challenge and I said to myself, 'Why not?' ' the athlete told Guinness in a video interview at the time. In an Instagram post shared on April 3, 2024, one day after the record-breaking moment, Meyer said that he had trained for the day for over three months. He then went on to describe the physical sensation of being buried in the frigid temperatures. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'The heavy snow pressed me down, causing my shoulders and elbows to ache,' he wrote in the post's caption. 'Perhaps you also feel a sharp ice cube against your back, with no chance to do anything about it, you can only be thankful, thankful for everything.' 'I stopped at two hours because I had to travel home, but there is much more to come,' he added. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! While humans can train themselves to adapt to cold temperatures, there was a real risk of hypothermia during the two hours. Because of this, Meyer made sure to have a hospital, as well as an emergency medical team, near where he was conducting the challenge, along with observers who 'continually monitored his internal body temperature and his health,' per Guinness. Observers noted that Meyer appeared relatively unfazed throughout the ordeal and often appeared to be sleeping with his eyes closed. The previous record for the longest amount of time in the snow was set in 2022 by Valerjan Romanvoski, a Polish man who held the title at 1 hour, 45 minutes, 2 seconds, according to United Press International. Read the original article on People
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Tilbury water supply secure as Wheatley plant rebuild continues
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent says it remains confident in its ability to continue supplying safe drinking water to Tilbury residents, despite ongoing reliance on a temporary water system in Wheatley following a fire at the Wheatley Water Treatment Plant. Since the September 2023 blaze forced the shutdown of the facility, the Chatham-Kent Public Utilities Commission has been operating a temporary water treatment system in Wheatley and implemented outdoor water restrictions to manage supply. 'With the current extra demand on the Wheatley water system, we are experiencing a critically low amount of water in our reservoirs and water towers and are asking all customers to eliminate all outdoor water usage,' Karen Burgess, director of operations for water and wastewater, said in an April 25 statement. The restrictions — which included a ban on lawn watering, washing vehicles, filling pools and outdoor construction — were lifted on May 13 for customers in both Wheatley and Tilbury. However, a lawn watering restriction remains in place and officials are asking residents to continue complying voluntarily. Burgess told the Tilbury Times Reporter the quality of drinking water has not been affected, and that the PUC continues to meet all provincial guidelines for treatment, disinfection and monitoring while the temporary system is in operation. If the rebuild of the Wheatley plant — targeted for completion by August — is delayed, the municipality says contingency plans are in place to ensure a continued water supply for Tilbury. 'We will continue to utilize the temporary water treatment system that has been set up in Wheatley,' Burgess said. 'As a contingency, we can acquire water from the South Chatham-Kent Water Treatment Plant in Blenheim, along with water from the Leamington distribution system. Hauling water from the Chatham Drinking Water System to Tilbury has also been used in the past.' She said the municipality is confident its current infrastructure and emergency supply plans will maintain safe and stable water service for the community. Updates from the CK PUC are available on Facebook at . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Water line issue on Northside Parkway closes road near West Paces Ferry
ATLANTA - Shortly before noon Friday, Atlanta's Department of Watershed Management (DWM) said that it is actively responding to a major water line issue that has disrupted service along the Northside Parkway corridor. The problem involves a 16-inch water line, and repair crews are currently on site. However, work to fix the issue cannot begin until a fallen tree is safely removed and a partner utility completes repairs to its own infrastructure in the area. As a safety measure, Northside Parkway has been temporarily closed between West Paces Ferry Road and 3715 Northside Parkway (near North Creek Office Park). The road will remain closed while crews assess and repair the damage. Officials are urging the public to remain patient as efforts continue to restore service and ensure the safety of both the public and workers. Residents are encouraged to check local news sources and follow @ATLWatershed on Facebook, X, Instagram, and Nextdoor for real-time updates.
