Subject: [NEXTEL-1] SMS Saves Lost Skier in Australia

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2003 14:38:46 -0400

SMS Saves Lost Skier in Australia

SMS came to the aid of a cross-country skier lost in the New South Wales
(NSW) Snowy Mountains in Australia. The skier was able to SMS and call his
girl friend to tell her he was lost, wet and possibly freezing to death, however,
the call dropped off before the skier's location could be identified. The skier
also
was able to sporadically SMS the local authorities, who were able to pinpoint
the general area for search and finally locate the skier. He is recovering in the
hospital.
===========================================================
Saved by SMS: skier's mountain ordeal

August 12, 2003 - 4:01PM

A cross-country skier who went missing in the NSW Snowy Mountains used his mobile
phone to
alert rescuers to his whereabouts, police said today.

Ken Corcoran, 59, from the Townsville suburb of Mundingburra, endured
near-freezing temperatures
and snowfalls after he became lost in the Perisher Valley overnight.

He had spent the night in a hollowed out log, sheltering from the conditions, and
was today found
by rescuers after sending text messages from his mobile to police.

"He seems to be okay, a little bit disorientated, a little bit of hypothermia in
there, but he's back with
his family," Perisher Valley police Inspector Wayne Benson told Sky News.

Mr Corcoran had set out from Guthega yesterday and was due to ski cross-country to
Perisher Valley
to meet up with his girlfriend last night, but he failed to arrive.

He sent a text message to his girlfriend about 11.30pm (AEST) yesterday, saying he
was lost, his
clothes were wet and he was freezing to death.

Mr Corcoran later phoned his girlfriend to say he was still lost, but the call
dropped out before she
could get any further information.

Insp Benson said police began receiving text messages from Mr Corcoran shortly
before 11am today,
but a low battery caused his phone to drop out.

However, emergency services and rescuers were still able to pinpoint the skier's
exact whereabouts.

"We had defined an area of operations and ... he was right in the middle of our
area of operations,"
Insp Benson said.

A Snowy Hydro SouthCare helicopter was then called in to help find Mr Corcoran.

"It came in and we were able to talk to him with the limited battery he had and
... we got him out," he
said.

Mr Corcoran was located in the Perisher Valley shortly before 11.15am today, and
airlifted to the
police command post at Perisher Valley police station, where he was checked by a
doctor.

Insp Benson said Mr Corcoran was then taken to Perisher Medical Centre, where he
was reunited
with family and friends.

Perisher Blue's marketing and resort services general manager, Gary Grant, said
the skier had been
taken to Cooma Hospital for observation.

"He's lucky it was a mild night last night," Mr Grant said.

AAP

This story was found at:
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/12/1060588377479.html

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