Watch: Apple Watch SOS alert leads rescuers to injured skiers after 1,000-foot fall down Washington mountain
The only information provided to rescuers was that the unidentified skier had fallen about 1,000 feet and sustained a leg injury.
Watch: Apple Watch SOS alert leads to rescue of skiers after 1,000-foot fall in Washington state
A video shared by the King County Sheriff's Office Air Support Unit shows the rescue of backcountry skiers near Steven's Pass in Washington state after a 1,000-foot fall triggered an Apple Watch SOS alert.
Officials have released a dramatic video showing the rescue of injured skiers near Steven’s Pass in Washington state last week, and some wearable technology is being credited with helping guide rescuers to their location.
According to information provided by the King County Sheriff’s Office Air Support Unit, an Apple Watch SOS alert from a backcountry skier was received by the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday.
The only information provided to rescuers was that the unidentified skier had fallen about 1,000 feet and sustained a leg injury, and the King County Sheriff’s Air Support Unit was able to respond just after sunset.
This image shows a backcountry skier waving down a rescue helicopter near Steven's Pass in Washington State on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025.
(King County Sheriff’s Office Air Support Unit / FOX Weather)
The video shows the rescue helicopter approaching the area, and the skier’s friend can be seen waving in a desperate attempt to get the rescuers’ attention.
A rescuer is then lowered from the helicopter, and video from the ground shows the injured skier being secured to the line before being hoisted into the air to safety.
But the rescue didn’t end there.
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Watch: Injured skiers rescued after 1,000-foot fall in Washington state
A video shared by the King County Sheriff's Office Air Support Unit shows the rescue of backcountry skiers near Steven's Pass in Washington state after a 1,000-foot fall triggered an Apple Watch SOS alert.
"We have a second patient with a knee injury that’s still down there," a rescuer could be heard saying.
The skier could not walk, so it was decided to hoist all three skiers into the helicopter and bring them down the mountain to safety.