American sprinter saved from riptides using his Apple Watch

Shearman’s Apple Watch is credited with saving him. (credit: Surf Life Saving NSW).
A 49-year old experienced swimmer from New South Wales used her Apple Watch to call out for help when she became caught in a current that was dragging her further out to sea. Rick Shearman, a Byron Bay resident, was out body surfing at Tallow Beach for his morning routine when he was engulfed by powerful breaking waves that carried him further from land. He was carried out a mile (0.6 miles) off shore, trying to find a way back to land. Shearman told an ABC North Coast journalist that he had received “a couple of big ones” on the head, and was then held under for some time. He said he began to panic and cramp under water. “It was clear after 20 minutes that I wouldn’t make it back to shore and I needed assistance.” Shearman, exhausted by the effort of avoiding breaking waves and unable get back to the shore, remembered the emergency feature on his Apple Watch. He called the Australian emergency number 0-0-0 while treading water. He updated emergency services on his approximate location for an hour. Shearman was located by a rescue helicopter, who winched him onto the craft and took him back to his beach. A rescue is underway in New South Wales. Shearman, a seasoned ocean swimmer, admitted that he “underestimated the roughness of the sea on that day.” “I’ve never panicked when I’ve been caught by rips in the past. But this one was going straight to sea. Jimmy Keogh, of Surf Life Saving Far North Coast which assisted in the rescue, described the Apple Watch as “a game changer” given the rough conditions. He said that the search area for a person in the water would have been extensive, involving multiple agencies and could have lasted for days. Shearman said that if he hadn’t been able to use the service on his watch, he would have likely been bobbing around in international waters. It’s amazing I was able use this technology to save my own life. Rick Shearman, a resident of NSW, after his successful rescue. (credit: Surf Life Saving NSW). The Apple Watch has saved lives in many different situations, including heart attacks, car accidents, and hard falls.