Man uses Apple Watch to call emergency after being swept away by water in Australia

Apple devices have a lot of features to help users easily contact emergency services. This time, Rick Shearman found himself in trouble after being swept away by water in rough seas in Byron Bay, Australia. Luckily, he was able to call for help using his Apple Watch Ultra.

Man lost at sea is rescued thanks to his Apple Watch

As reported by Australia’s ABC News, Shearman was bodysurfing at Tallow Beach when he was caught in an impact zone where the waves were breaking. “I copped a couple of big ones on the head and was held under for a while, I started to panic a bit and cramp up under water there,” Shearman said.

Although Shearman is an experienced surfer and swimmer, he realized he was in trouble after trying unsuccessfully to find a channel that would take him back to shore. “It became clear after about 20 minutes that I wasn’t going to make it back in and I needed some assistance.”

Since his partner on the beach had thought the surfer had left to go shopping, no one was really looking for him. But Shearman was wearing his Apple Watch Ultra, which has a built-in cellular connection. He then called the Australian emergency services, who stayed on the line for an hour until rescue arrived.

“At this point I was a long way out to sea, I was being buffeted by wind and big swells, it was actually quite difficult to utilise [the watch]. I had to hold it up to my ear to hear what was going on and speak to the respondent.” But despite the challenges, Shearman was rescued and is doing well.

Apple Watch has been certified waterproof to depths of up to 50 meters since Series 2. With Apple Watch Ultra, which has a more rugged design to withstand the most challenging scenarios you can imagine, water resistance has been increased to a depth of up to 100 meters.

A lifeguard on the beach said that the Apple Watch was a game-changer in the rescue, since an operation like this on the high seas could take many hours or even days. “It’s amazing that I was able to use that technology to save my life,” Shearman said about his Apple Watch.