Samsung’s Galaxy S8 saves the day
A Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone contributed to saving 20 stranded passengers in Cebu, the Philippines, early this month, Samsung Electronics said on Friday.A boat carrying 16 foreign divers and four Filipino nationals tipped over near Bogo City in Cebu province on July 8. Around 30 minutes after the accident, the stranded passengers were able to call for help using a Galaxy S8.
The phone, which belonged to Canadian national Jim Emdee, was found submerged in water under the boat, according to Samsung. The contacted rescuers were then able to find the stranded passengers using the GPS function on the smartphone.
“Only my S8 was able to connect and it worked all the way until we made it to land. It stayed alive for much longer than I thought possible, and it really made the difference,” Emdee was quoted as saying in a statement from Samsung Electronics.
“We are glad to hear that the passengers are all safe, and that a Samsung phone was helpful in the rescue effort. We will continue to work towards producing devices that can come to users’ aid when they find themselves in dire situations,” said James Jung, head of Samsung Electronics Philippines.
The Galaxy S8, according to Samsung, is water resistant in fresh water up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) deep for up to 30 minutes, though beach and pool use is not advised.
The company also advised users to keep the GPS locator on their Galaxy smartphones turned on while traveling in case of emergencies.
BY KIM JEE-HEE [kim.jeehee@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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