An Australian body surfer, Rick Shearman, survived a life-threatening situation after being swept out to sea by using his Apple Watch to call emergency services. “I’m amazed that I could use that technology to save my life,” said the 49-year-old in an interview.
On Saturday, Mr. Shearman was enjoying a morning body surfing session at Tallow Beach in Byron Bay when he was caught in the impact zone, the area where waves break.
Despite his experience with such situations, Shearman found himself carried far beyond the breaking waves by a powerful current. He attempted to find a path back to shore, following proper riptide procedures, but ended up stranded half a mile from the beach with no clear route back. The current was heading directly out to sea rather than along the shore.
Realizing the severity of his predicament, Mr. Shearman remembered his unexpected lifeline—his Apple Watch. While treading water, he used the device to call emergency services. The operator prompted him to specify whether he needed police, fire brigade, or ambulance assistance.
“At that point, I was far out to sea, battling strong winds and large swells, making it quite challenging to operate the watch,” Mr. Shearman recounted. “I had to hold it up to my ear to hear the response and communicate with the operator.”
Despite the harsh conditions, Shearman managed to maintain the call for an hour, providing his location to the responders. Shortly afterward, he was rescued by a helicopter and transported to safety.
Rescuers noted that without his Apple Watch, the search operation could have taken days, involved multiple agencies, and potentially resulted in a more tragic outcome.
Mr. Shearman expressed profound gratitude for having this digital guardian angel at hand. “If I hadn’t been able to access that service on my watch, I might still be adrift somewhere in international waters by now,” he remarked.
