Photo by Jonathan Wheeler via Unsplash<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n <\/p>\n
When a man got lost deep in the dark Alaskan wilderness, it was his iPhone’s satellite that saved him. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The man was traveling on a snowmobile from Noorvik to Kotzebue on Thursday, Dec. 1, authorities said in a news release. The areas are located on the northwest coast and are separated by the Hotham Inlet and the Selawik Lake to the south.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Alaska State Troopers received an Apple iPhone Emergency SOS notification via satellite at about 2 am, the release said. <\/p>\n
Apple iPhone Emergency SOS was introduced with the iPhone 14, according to the company. It’s intended for people to be able to reach authorities even without cell phone service.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a user is not able to reach emergency services because no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage is available, an easy-to-use interface appears on iPhone to get the user help utilizing a satellite connection,\u201d Apple said in a news release. \u201cA short questionnaire appears to help the user answer vital questions with a few simple taps, which is transmitted to dispatchers in the initial message, to ensure they are able to quickly understand a user’s situation and location.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rescuers worked with local search and rescue teams, the Apple Emergency Response Center, and the Northwest Arctic Borough Search and Rescue Coordinator to pinpoint his GPS coordinates.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Four volunteer searchers ventured to the Nimiuk Point area, where they found him and took him to Kotzebue, the release said. No one was injured in the incident.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Alaska Department of Public Safety told Insider the search teams went out at 3:30 am and took him to Kotzebue at 6 am Troopers told the outlet they were \u201dextremely impressed with the accuracy of the location provided,\u201d which they credited for allowing them to \u201cmake quick decisions that helped this story have a happy ending.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n\n
\n
<\/p><\/div>\n
\n Brooke (she\/them) is a McClatchy Real-Time reporter who covers LGBTQ+ news and national parks out west. They studied journalism at the University of Florida, and previously covered LGBTQ+ news for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. When they’re not writing stories, they enjoy hanging out with their cats, riding horses or spending time outdoors. <\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div><\/div>\n