A new iPhone alert feature turned out to be the saving grace of two hikers stranded in a river in the South Island yesterday.
The feature sent an SOS message to responding emergency crews via satellite of the hikers’ location as water levels rose to an unsafe crossing level.
Police responded to reports at lunchtime yesterday of two people who were unable to walk out of an area in Arthurs Pass, where they had gone tramping near the Sudden Valley Stream.
Water levels had risen the night before and made rivers challenging to cross.
![Police responded to reports at lunchtime yesterday of two people who were unable to walk out of an area in Arthurs Pass. Photo / West Coast Air Trust](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/PHHLJWUSJRGLRNVFQVUSATSJLM.jpg?auth=f4999ed081773e905147ebe6aa78b68f24671fdec4ec40da8d53b63485b0bbc4&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)