Apple’s iPhone Crash Detection feature was instrumental in helping New Zealand police find the site of a fatal off-road crash that claimed the lives of two female teenagers.
Joanna Beach and Bondi Reihana Richmond were killed in a crash in Mount Richmond Forest Park, toward the northernmost of New Zealand’s south island. The duo were in a four-wheel drive vehicle that was traveling through Beebys Knob Track at 11:00 p.m. local time on Monday, April 8, 2024, when the accident occurred.
Police and rescuers found the pair after Apple’s Crash Detection feature on one of the women’s iPhones alerted them to the incident at approximately 11 p.m. on Monday. “The location the alert pinpointed was instrumental in locating the deceased teens,” said police.
According to the New Zealand Herald, no other vehicles were involved. Police told the Herald that “inquiries into the cause of the crash are ongoing and will be presented to the coroner; however, the vehicle was found down a steep bank.”
Beebys Knob Track is a restricted route; 4WD drivers are only allowed from December 1 to April 30 and are required to have a permit. The duo reportedly had the correct permit.
“The location the alert pinpointed was instrumental in locating the deceased teens,” police said. “A helicopter was used in the initial search, alongside police on foot and a police dog. On finding the teens a Sar operation commenced, involving LandSar volunteers, to recover their bodies.
“Inquiries into the cause of the crash are ongoing and will be presented to the coroner; however, the vehicle was found down a steep bank.”
It’s not the first time that similar accidents have triggered Apple’s Crash Detection, and in many cases, the results have been more pleasant.
In August 2023, a 21-year-old Canadian musician from Burlington, Ontario, was rescued from a severe car crash when her iPhone 14 automatically placed a call to emergency services to let them know she was in trouble.
Hannah Ralph had been driving on remote side road 130 in the Grey Highlands, between Flesherton and Markdale, approximately a two-hour drive northwest of Toronto. The area is primarily made up of forests and farms. She was traveling to visit her boyfriend’s grandmother and extended family in the area. While few details were available about how the accident occurred, Hannah would likely not have been discovered as quickly had it not been for her iPhone 14 automatically sounding the alert for help.
Friend Grace Workman-Porecki, who was also one of Hannah’s iPhone emergency contacts, said the “response time was incredible.”
After receiving an emergency SOS alert from Hannah’s iPhone at approximately 6:55 p.m. on a Saturday evening, Workman-Porecki contacted first responders and was told that paramedics were already on site. They were assessing Hannah’s condition and had summoned an air ambulance while firefighters were working to cut her out of the vehicle.
Crash Detection is available on the iPhone 14 and newer and also works with the Apple Watch. When with device detects a severe crash, the emergency services call interface will appear on the Apple Watch if the victim is wearing one, as it is most likely to be in closer proximity to the user. Meanwhile, the call is placed through the iPhone if it is in range for the best possible connection.
The feature detects a severe car crash and will automatically call emergency services if the driver does not respond to the device’s prompts within 20 seconds.
Crash Detection is enabled automatically on all iPhone and Apple Watch models that offer support, meaning you’re protected unless the feature has been manually switched off. To check, go into the Settings app and tap on Emergency SOS on your iPhone or SOS on your Apple Watch, and confirm that the Call After Severe Crash toggle is enabled.