Danny Weber
19:23 20-02-2026
© Apple
Six skiers used iPhone Emergency SOS via satellite to contact rescuers during an avalanche near Lake Tahoe. Learn how this free feature works in emergencies without cellular service.
Six skiers caught in an avalanche near Lake Tahoe were able to contact rescuers using the Emergency SOS feature on an iPhone. According to The New York Times, there was no cellular service or Wi-Fi in the area at the time, making Apple's satellite system the only way to send a distress signal.
Local emergency services reported that communication was maintained for several hours. Don O'Keefe, a representative of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, explained that one of their staff coordinated the rescue efforts by exchanging messages with the group's guide for about four hours. Information about the victims' condition and the situation on the ground was relayed in real time to the Nevada County Sheriff's Office.
The Emergency SOS feature is available on iPhone 14 and newer models, as well as the Apple Watch Ultra 3. It allows users to send text messages to emergency services via satellite when terrestrial networks are unavailable. This free service has already been used multiple times in various emergencies, from car accidents to wildfires.
This technology is operational in several countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, and Australia. The Lake Tahoe incident serves as another example of how satellite communication in consumer devices can play a crucial role in rescuing people far from infrastructure.