In a recent military plane crash tragedy in Chile, Navy search and rescue teams were hampered by bad weather in an effort to locate a downed aircraft. Knowing that a loved one on the flight carried an iPhone, family members stepped forward to help the authorities.
According to 9to5Mac, they used the GPS tracking app
Find My iPhone, which is designed to help users locate a lost or stolen iPhone or iPad. It can even wipe the device clean in the event of theft. This time, it will bring peace and resolution to the families who lost their loved ones in the tragic crash.
The crash of the CASA-212 turbo prop plane was off the coast of Robinson Crusoe Island. When relatives logged into the Find My iPhone service, they were able to locate the last known location of the plane before it went down.
More than likely, a military plane does not have the same rules when it comes to turning off mobile phones during flight, which would allow the Find My iPhone service to work.
All of the pieces of the aircraft that have been found so far have been no larger than 20 inches, indicating that the plane suffered high fragmentation on impact.
The military is using robots to search the ocean, to try to locate any remains, including the helpful iPhone. Military divers plan to begin searching once the weather conditions improve.
So far, four bodies have been found from the total of 21 passengers that were aboard.
(Photo Credit: AP)
