₹89,900 well spent? How Apple Watch Ultra saved the life of a 26-year-old Mumbai man when he went diving

A diver credits the Apple Watch Ultra for sounding the siren and alerting him to what could have been fatal for his body. Here’s what happened.

Apple makes a big deal out of the life-saving abilities of the Apple Watch, and this is why the brand, every year when new models launch, showcases a video featuring multiple testimonials from people thanking Apple for how the Apple Watch helped save their lives. The same has been backed in various news reports over time, wherein multiple people have come forward to thank Apple for the Apple Watch, as the device has helped save lives, whether they were stranded using satellite SOS, detected a fall or accident, or even collapsed due to a fatal health situation.

Apple Watch has time and again made headlines for its life-saving abilities. (Apple)

By Shaurya Sharma

Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers.

He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey.

Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution.

A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol cars

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Now, another such incident has come to light, this one in India, where a 26-year-old Mumbai-based man who went scuba diving in Puducherry credits the Apple Watch Ultra for saving his life. Here’s what happened.

(Story updated with inputs from Apple)

Went Scuba Diving But Gear Malfunctioned

The man, Kshitij Zodape, went scuba diving this summer in Puducherry. Unfortunately, his diving equipment malfunctioned. Zodape says that has been diving underwater since 2020, giving him over five years of experience. However, this time luck wasn’t on his side, but ultimately, it was his Apple Watch Ultra that came to the rescue, alerting him and helping him avoid a potentially fatal outcome.

Zodape was diving to a depth of about 36 metres in the Bay of Bengal when his weight belt came off. He realised what had happened but was unable to do anything as he had lost control. At that point, his Apple Watch Ultra sprang into action as Zodape was using the Oceanic+ app during his dive, which triggered the alarm.

“While diving with my instructor in poor visibility, my weight belt unexpectedly detached, causing an immediate and dangerously rapid ascent,” he wrote to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

The Apple Watch detected the rapid ascent in the water and sent him an emergency notification. “When the ascent continued uncontrollably, it began blaring its emergency alarm. My instructor, who was ahead of me, heard the distinct sound through the water, quickly swam back, and stopped the rapid ascent just in time.” the man said (referring to the series of notifications delivered through both on-screen visual alerts and haptic feedback).

Because his weight belt had come off, his buoyancy increased, causing him to rise rapidly towards the surface. It was here that the Watch’s ability to detect excessive ascent rates came in handy. The Oceanic+ app monitors your ascent speed and flashes a warning if you begin rising too quickly. Fortunately, Zodape was able to get out of the water safely, and everything worked out well.

Apple CEO Tim Cook even replied to Zodape, 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.”

How Apple Watch warns you of rapid ascent

Apple says there are various ways the Apple Watch can warn you when it detects an abnormality, including visual alerts on the watch’s display. The Oceanic+ app delivers strong haptic feedback so the diver can take notice, providing a clear personal alert that is particularly useful underwater. There is also colour coding, with bright yellow or red warnings indicating serious, critical issues.

What more does the Oceanic+ app do? Well, it actually tracks your nitrogen levels using the Bühlmann decompression algorithm. If you stop at a certain depth without completing mandatory decompression stops, the app will alert you with a colour-coded warning. Plus, if you exceed the no-decompression limit, the app will activate mandatory decompression stops. Finally, if you reach the maximum operational depth of the Apple Watch Ultra, which is 40 metres (130 feet), the watch will issue an alert.

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