A Thai man was rescued off Pattaya late on Thursday night after his kayak capsized in rough seas, with his Apple Watch helping him raise the alarm through its Emergency SOS feature.
Rescue officials said the incident occurred around 11pm on Sept 25, when the city’s marine disaster prevention radio centre picked up a distress signal. The team immediately coordinated with Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan rescue volunteers, who dispatched a boat to the reported location.
The man told rescuers he had been kayaking towards Krathing beach when strong waves overturned his craft. He managed to keep calm and used his Apple Watch to send an SOS call along with his real-time location to local emergency services. He was later found and brought to safety.
The incident highlighted the life-saving potential of wearable technology. While often used for fitness and daily convenience, smartwatches such as the Apple Watch carry emergency features that can prove crucial in unexpected situations.
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Photo: Facebook/I love Pattaya)
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Photo: Facebook/I love Pattaya)