Captured on video! The moment Apple Watch SOS helped rescuers find a stranded skier who fell 1,000 feet

(Image credit: Future)

An Apple Watch has saved the life of a stranded Washington skier
Air support was called after an Apple Watch SOS alert was sent to emergency responders
The skier had fallen 1,000 feet and sustained a leg injury, and likely would have frozen to death

One lucky skier has their Apple Watch to thank for their life after falling 1,000 feet and sustaining a leg injury on the slopes.

Local news reports that a skier fell 1,000 feet while out in Stevens Pass, Washington, injuring their leg in the process. Chelan County Sheriff's Office was notified of the incident by an Apple Watch Emergency SOS alert. They dispatched King County Air Support to the location, arriving at the stranded skier just after dark.

In some pretty intense footage shared on YouTube (below), you can watch rescuers locate and extract the party, who were pitched on a "very steep" portion of the mountain.

To their surprise, rescuers found not one but two injured skiers in the party of three, and the decision was made to airlift all three to safety.

A daring Apple Watch rescue

Backcountry Skiers Hoist Rescued after 1,000 Foot Fall. - YouTube

Watch On

While local news has no specific update on the condition of the injured skiers, it looks like this story had a happy ending. It's just one more example of the critical value of the lifesaving features that are now a mainstay of the best smartwatch models on the market.

Features like emergency calling, satellite connectivity, and location services make devices like the Apple Watch indispensable, especially for people undertaking extreme outdoor activities, hiking, or exploring.

Apple Watch Emergency SOS can help a user quickly call emergency services in case of... well, an emergency. It's available on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, Ultra, Series 8 or later, and even the Apple Watch SE 2, so you don't even need the best Apple Watch to reap the benefits.

The internet is awash with reports of these devices saving lives all the time. Latterly, even Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed how the Apple Watch once saved the life of his father while he was still alive, alerting family and emergency services to a fall he sustained while at home alone. Cook revealed responders found his father unconscious, breaking down the door to rescue him.

Apple is expected to debut three new Apple Watch models in 2025, namely the SE 3, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and a new Apple Watch Series 11. A redesigned SE 3 is expected, while the headline upgrade to the others is tipped to be high blood pressure detection. We'd expect all three to debut in September alongside iPhone 17.

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Stephen Warwick is TechRadar's Fitness & Wearables writer with nearly a decade of experience covering technology, including five years as the News Editor of iMore. He's a keen fitness enthusiast and is never far from the local gym, Apple Watch at the ready, to record his latest workout. Stephen has experience writing about every facet of technology including products, services, hardware, and software. He's covered breaking news and developing stories regarding supply chains, patents and litigation, competition, politics and lobbying, the environment, and more. He's conducted interviews with industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. Outside of work, he's a massive tech and history buff with a passion for Rome Total War, reading, and music.