Overview
- Don O’Keefe of California’s Office of Emergency Services said personnel messaged with a surviving guide for roughly four hours, relaying details to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office to plan extractions.
- Authorities report at least eight fatalities from the avalanche and say one person remains unaccounted for and presumed dead.
- Rescuers said the party also relied on an avalanche beacon, highlighting that the satellite link was pivotal communication rather than the only rescue tool.
- Emergency SOS via satellite activates on iPhone 14 or later when no cellular or Wi‑Fi is available, needs a clear view of the sky, and currently remains free for two years after device activation.
- A newly revealed Apple patent outlines a removable case with a phased‑array antenna and beamforming to boost satellite connectivity, though this accessory is only a research concept at this stage.