Apple Watch Ultra's Life-Saving Feature Rescues Mumbai Techie During Scuba Diving Accident

A 26-year-old tech professional from Mumbai has credited his Apple Watch Ultra for saving his life during a scuba diving accident earlier this year. The incident took place near Puducherry, where the diver, Kshitij Zodape, encountered a serious emergency underwater. Also Read: iPhone 18 Pro, OLED iPad mini production begins as Samsung prepares displays for Apple’s future lineup

Kshitij, who works with an e-commerce company, was diving in the Bay of Bengal, about 36 metres deep, when his weight belt came loose. The malfunction caused him to lose control and rapidly ascend toward the surface – a dangerous situation for any diver. “The water was very choppy and visibility was poor,” Kshitij explains. “Suddenly, I started shooting up towards the surface and couldn’t figure out what was happening.” Also Read: Apple may finally be developing an iRing to take on Samsung Galaxy Ring, Oura Ring

That’s when his Apple Watch Ultra kicked in. The device, which tracks dive depth and ascent rate, detected the sudden change and displayed emergency warnings, urging him to slow down. When there was no response, the watch activated its built-in siren, which can be heard up to 180 metres away. Also Read: Apple hikes MacBook, iPad prices in India; some models cost up to Rs 1 lakh more: Check here

The siren caught the attention of his instructor, who was a short distance ahead and immediately swam back to assist. “When I ignored the warnings, the watch started chiming at full volume,” Kshitij said. “The distinct siren helped my instructor locate me. By that time, I had already ascended around 10 metres and was still rising uncontrollably.”

Experts say such rapid ascents can cause lung over-expansion injuries, where trapped air in the lungs expands too quickly, potentially leading to fatal internal damage. Thanks to the watch’s emergency alert, Kshitij avoided what could have been a life-threatening situation.

The diver later shared his experience with Apple CEO Tim Cook, who personally replied: “I’m so glad your instructor heard the alarm and quickly assisted you. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. Be well.”

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Launched in 2022, the Apple Watch Ultra is designed for adventure and safety. Its emergency siren feature emits two alternating, high-pitched tones to help rescuers locate users during distress – a feature that, in this case, quite literally helped save a life.