A diver living in Mumbai was unaware of the Apple Watch Ultra’s siren feature until the device automatically activated, saving his life.

While not one of the Apple Watch Ultra’s most prominent features, every model includes an 86-decibel siren alarm. Apple designed this feature so the user can manually activate the device in times of distress, or automatically activate it when the depth sensor detects the situation and reduces mobility.

Divers Kshitij Zodape encountered an unexpected danger while scuba diving in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Puducherry during the summer months. At a depth of approximately 36 meters, the weight belt he was wearing came loose. This not only prevented him from diving any deeper but also began to push him uncontrollably toward the surface.

How Did the Apple Watch Save a Life?

According to Zodape, before he fully grasped what was happening, the Apple Watch Ultra’s depth sensor detected the sudden vertical movement and sent an emergency alert. However, Zodape lost control and was unable to stop his ascent. The unfortunate diver said, “Before I knew what was happening, my watch started beeping. It was telling me my ascent was too rapid, that it could be dangerous, and that I should slow down. But there was nothing I could do; I was still ascending rapidly.”

When Zodape became unresponsive, the Apple Watch Ultra’s siren automatically activated. This loud alarm caught the attention of a nearby diving instructor, who spotted Zodape in time.

The instructor quickly reached Zodape and prevented her from surfacing uncontrollably. At the depth Zodape was exposed to high pressure, so a sudden return to the surface would have been dangerous, potentially causing her lungs to expand and rupture.

After this incident, which prevented a potentially fatal accident, Zodape thanked Apple and stated that she had not previously been aware of the siren feature.