Apple Watch Ultra saves Indian techie’s life during a scuba diving mishap
Extracted on: 10/6/2025, 9:27:33 AM
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Apple Watch Ultra saves Indian techie’s life during a scuba diving mishap The watch detected abnormal movement underwater and triggered a loud alarm, which the instructor heard just in time, preventing any fatal injury. By Ayush Chourasia Oct. 3, 2025 > Tech Apple devices have turned out to be lifesavers for people across the globe. In a recent incident, the Apple Watch Ultra saved a Mumbai-based techie during a scuba diving accident in Puducherry earlier this year.

Twenty-six-year-old Kshitij Zodape, who works at an e-commerce firm, was diving in the Bay of Bengal when a sudden equipment failure put him in danger. This is when his Apple Watch Ultra pulled him from the jaws of death. Kshitij had descended nearly 36 metres underwater when his weight belt unexpectedly came loose. The incident caused him to shoot upwards uncontrollably, a situation that could lead to lung over-expansion — a potentially fatal condition caused by rapid ascent.

“The water was very choppy and visibility was poor; we could see only 5 to 10 metres,” Kshitij told India Today Tech. “We were about 36 metres down when I suddenly started shooting up towards the surface.” Unable to stop the ascent or signal for help, Kshitij’s Apple Watch Ultra detected the abnormal movement and issued a warning. “Before I could even realise, my watch started showing warnings. It told me that I needed to slow down because my ascent was too quick and it could cause injury,” he said.

When the ascent continued despite the alert, the watch activated its emergency siren — a loud, high-pitched sound designed to be heard up to 180 metres away. “When I ignored the warnings, the Watch started chiming at full volume. The siren was distinct. My instructor, who was ahead of me, immediately heard it and swam back,” Kshitij recalled.

By then, he had already ascended 10 metres and was still rising. The instructor’s quick response, triggered by the siren, helped prevent further complications. Kshitij later wrote to Apple CEO Tim Cook to share his experience. Cook responded personally, saying, “I’m so glad your instructor heard the alarm and quickly assisted you.

Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. Be well.” The Apple Watch Ultra, launched in 2022, includes advanced safety features like the emergency siren, dive tracking, and environmental sensors. In Kshitij’s case, these features worked exactly as intended, turning a dangerous situation into a life-saving moment.