GPS navigation has remodeled how we get from place to position, nevertheless it’s not infallible and we’ve most likely all been given dangerous instructions in some unspecified time in the future in our lives.

Whereas that is usually only a minor inconvenience, it became a life-threatening state of affairs for a household in Australia.

In response to the New South Wales Police Pressure, the household was reported lacking on August eighth after they did not arrive in Packsaddle following a visit from Queensland the day prior to this. This sparked an investigation and a “main land search,” which spanned Tibooburra, Damaged Hill, Wilcannia, and Packsaddle in addition to surrounding areas.

Additionally Learn: Australian Police Challenge Warning About Apple Maps After App Directs Drivers To The Desert

Numerous companies and volunteers had been concerned, and a search and rescue helicopter positioned their Hyundai Tucson about 31 miles (50 km) southeast of Tibooburra on August ninth. This resulted within the household being rescued and air lifted to security.

Citing police, 9News is reporting the mishap occurred after “Google Maps took them off monitor onto a dust street away from a sealed freeway the place they acquired bogged [down]” in a distant space. Whereas 7News merely chalked it as much as a “incorrect flip,” they spoke to Darian Aspinall who informed the station “I actually thought we had been gonna die.”

Aspinall went on to elucidate there was no cell reception, so she couldn’t name for assist. On condition that, the household reportedly walked for hours looking for assist however with out success. This was undoubtedly scary because the household solely had one liter of water to share between them.

With so little water, they shortly turned dehydrated. Nevertheless, Aspinall informed the station she stumbled throughout a puddle and this was sufficient to maintain the household going till assist arrived.

Picture credit score: Australian Maritime Security Authority