Apple Watch Ultra Saves 26-Year-Old Mumbai Flipkart Employee's Life During A Scuba Dive Incident, Tim Cook Responds

A 26-year-old Mumbai-based Flipkart software developer, Kshitij Zodape, reportedly credits his Apple Watch Ultra for averting disaster during a deep-sea scuba dive off the coast of Puducherry. The Apple Watch Ultra started blaring warning sounds underwater, alerting others, when Zodape started ascending rapidly due to a weight belt malfunction.

Kshitij Zodape, who works for the e-commerce company Flipkart, was exploring the depths of the Bay of Bengal at around 36 meters when his weight belt suddenly came unstuck amid choppy waters and poor visibility limited to just 5-10 meters. India Today and Telegraph report that the malfunction sent him rocketing uncontrollably toward the surface, putting him at severe risk of decompression sickness or deadly lung over-expansion – hazards that claim lives in rapid ascents.

As Zodape shot upward, his Apple Watch Ultra sprang into action. Paired with the Oceanic+ app for dive monitoring, the device first flashed urgent warnings on its screen, alerting him to decelerate to avoid injury. When he couldn't regain control and continued rising – already 10 meters from his starting point – the smartwatch escalated to its emergency mode, blaring a piercing SOS siren audible up to 180 meters away. The high-pitched alarm cut through the muffled underwater world, catching the attention of his diving instructor ahead in the group, who immediately turned back to assist and stabilise the situation.

“The Apple Watch Ultra started showing a warning that I needed to slow down. If it continued, the lungs could expand or I could have suffered DCS (decompression sickness). I could have easily got hit by a boat as this was also a fishing zone,” the software engineer reportedly said. "I couldn’t control it... When I ignored the warnings, the Watch started chiming at full volume. The siren was distinct," he added.

Zodape, an avid trekker, runner, and diver who hits the depths three to four times a year, had chosen the rugged Apple Watch Ultra for its robust battery life and dive-friendly features. "I love to dive because water has a calming effect. But it comes with a risk. And we are on borrowed time underwater," he shared, praising the device as a "complete package."

In a surreal post-incident twist, Zodape emailed his story directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook, who replied: "I’m so glad your instructor heard the alarm and quickly assisted you. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. Be well."

Zodape, still reeling from the close call, admitted he was unaware of the watch's siren feature until it activated. "I didn’t even know it had that siren feature," he said.

Last month, Apple unveiled the third edition of the Apple Watch Ultra. It is priced starting at Rs. 89,900. The wearable comes with a rugged build, Action mode, and offers up to 72 hours of battery life.