Apple Watch Ultra Saves 26-Year-Old Mumbai Techie During Scuba Diving Mishap

What was meant to be a fun summer dive in the Bay of Bengal turned into a near-death experience for a 26-year-old Mumbai techie. Kshitij Zodape, who works with an e-commerce company, had gone scuba diving near Puducherry. But just as he reached a depth of around 36 metres, things suddenly went wrong. His weight belt, which helps divers stay underwater, came loose. Without it, Kshitij began to shoot up towards the surface at great speed, something that can be extremely dangerous underwater.

Scuba diving might look peaceful from above the water, but underwater the body faces high pressure. If a diver rises too quickly, that pressure can drop in seconds, causing the lungs to expand too fast. This condition can lead to lung damage or, in the worst case, even death. Kshitij knew this but was helpless, as the missing weight belt made him float uncontrollably. The waters were choppy, the visibility was poor, and he could not signal for help.

Apple Watch Steps In

At that very moment, the Apple Watch Ultra on Kshitij’s wrist detected the sudden vertical ascent. The device is designed to track diving activity, and it quickly flashed warnings on the screen, alerting him that his rise was too rapid. “Before I could even realise, my watch started showing warnings,” Kshitij recalled. It was asking him to slow down, but in reality, he had no control over the speed of his ascent.

When Kshitij was unable to respond to the alerts, the Apple Watch Ultra automatically activated its emergency siren. The siren is a high-pitched sound built into the watch to cut through background noise during emergencies. Even underwater, it was distinct enough to grab attention. His diving instructor, who had swum ahead, immediately heard it and rushed back.

By then, Kshitij had already risen around 10 metres but was still being pushed up by buoyancy. His instructor managed to get to him quickly and help control the situation before it turned fatal. “When I ignored the warnings, the Watch started chiming at full volume. My instructor immediately heard it and swam back,” Kshitij said. Without this intervention, the rapid rise could have caused severe lung injuries.

A Feature He Didn’t Know Existed

What surprised Kshitij most was that he did not even know the watch had such a feature. The Apple Watch Ultra, launched in 2022 as a rugged outdoor companion, comes with several safety tools like depth tracking and an emergency siren that can be heard up to 180 metres away. For Kshitij, this unexpected feature turned out to be a lifesaver.

Grateful for the second chance at life, Kshitij later wrote to Apple CEO Tim Cook to share his experience. To his surprise, Cook personally replied with a note of relief: “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 response added a personal touch to what was already an unforgettable incident.

Technology That Truly Saves Lives

Stories like Kshitij’s show how wearable devices are no longer just about fitness tracking or notifications. In this case, the Apple Watch Ultra acted as an extra safety partner during an extreme sport, proving that technology, when designed with care, can actually save lives.. 

What was meant to be a fun summer dive in the Bay of Bengal turned into a near-death experience for a 26-year-old Mumbai techie. Kshitij Zodape, who works with an e-commerce company, had gone scuba diving near Puducherry. But just as he reached a depth of around 36 metres, things suddenly went wrong. His weight belt, which helps divers stay underwater, came loose. Without it, Kshitij began to shoot up towards the surface at great speed, something that can be extremely dangerous underwater.

Scuba diving might look peaceful from above the water, but underwater the body faces high pressure. If a diver rises too quickly, that pressure can drop in seconds, causing the lungs to expand too fast. This condition can lead to lung damage or, in the worst case, even death. Kshitij knew this but was helpless, as the missing weight belt made him float uncontrollably. The waters were choppy, the visibility was poor, and he could not signal for help.

Apple Watch Steps In

At that very moment, the Apple Watch Ultra on Kshitij’s wrist detected the sudden vertical ascent. The device is designed to track diving activity, and it quickly flashed warnings on the screen, alerting him that his rise was too rapid. “Before I could even realise, my watch started showing warnings,” Kshitij recalled. It was asking him to slow down, but in reality, he had no control over the speed of his ascent.

When Kshitij was unable to respond to the alerts, the Apple Watch Ultra automatically activated its emergency siren. The siren is a high-pitched sound built into the watch to cut through background noise during emergencies. Even underwater, it was distinct enough to grab attention. His diving instructor, who had swum ahead, immediately heard it and rushed back.

By then, Kshitij had already risen around 10 metres but was still being pushed up by buoyancy. His instructor managed to get to him quickly and help control the situation before it turned fatal. “When I ignored the warnings, the Watch started chiming at full volume. My instructor immediately heard it and swam back,” Kshitij said. Without this intervention, the rapid rise could have caused severe lung injuries.

A Feature He Didn’t Know Existed

What surprised Kshitij most was that he did not even know the watch had such a feature. The Apple Watch Ultra, launched in 2022 as a rugged outdoor companion, comes with several safety tools like depth tracking and an emergency siren that can be heard up to 180 metres away. For Kshitij, this unexpected feature turned out to be a lifesaver.

Grateful for the second chance at life, Kshitij later wrote to Apple CEO Tim Cook to share his experience. To his surprise, Cook personally replied with a note of relief: “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 response added a personal touch to what was already an unforgettable incident.

Technology That Truly Saves Lives

Stories like Kshitij’s show how wearable devices are no longer just about fitness tracking or notifications. In this case, the Apple Watch Ultra acted as an extra safety partner during an extreme sport, proving that technology, when designed with care, can actually save lives..