Last week, a group of backcountry skiers were caught in an avalanche in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Lake Tahoe. According to authorities, eight people were killed and another person was reported missing and presumed dead. Six people managed to survive and wait for help, also thanks to the fact that they were able to contact rescuers via Satellite Emergency SOS on their iPhones when there was no connection.
What happened?
According to Reuters, the avalanche occurred during a three-day trip during winter storm conditions. Survivors built temporary shelters and kept in touch with emergency services using emergency beacons and text messages.
The Guardian clarified that SOS satellites on iPhones helped rescuers locate people, and one of the guides additionally used a personal beacon (PLB) – contact with rescue services was maintained for several hours.
According to information cited by American media from emergency services, survivors sent messages via Emergency SOS via Satellite to the district sheriff's office, which coordinated the operation. An official with the California Office of Emergency Services described the situation as a lengthy text communication with the instructor for about four hours.
How satellite emergency SOS works
Apple describes this feature this way: If you're trying to contact emergency services but don't have a cellular network or Wi-Fi nearby, iPhone can connect to satellites and send text messages to emergency services. The phone tells you how to hold it to “capture” satellites, and can transmit coordinates and data from a medical ID (if configured). This feature is available on iPhone 14 and later.
Apple explicitly notes that satellite SOS depends on region permissions and doesn't work everywhere. The list of countries said to currently have this functionality available specifically includes: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, some European countries, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, etc. – Apple publishes the full list in the help section.
Conclusion
The Tahoe story is another example of how satellite communications in smartphones can become the “last channel” when conventional networks are not available. But the description of the rescue operation suggests something else. There is no magic pill. This is part of a set of measures – along with beacons, team preparedness and proper post-avalanche actions.
