BBC Website.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7890046.stm


Lost walker saved by phone flash

A lost walker has been airlifted to safety after using the flash on his mobile phone camera to alert rescuers.

Searches had been under way after the man became disorientated in fog while out with his dog on Barvas Moor, the Isle of Lewis, on Friday evening.

Stornoway Coastguard's helicopter team contacted the 23-year-old man on his phone, but could not locate him.

He then managed to activate his phone's camera flash, which was picked up by the aircraft's infrared system.

The man were rescued at about 0200 GMT after being stranded for nearly eight hours. Neither required medical treatment.

A Stornoway Coastguard spokeswoman said: "The guy was lucky and managed to get the phone to flash a couple of times on its camera facility. It was quite ingenious."

Lucky, surely having a torch would have proved a better locator. Just shows even when you're out walking your dog in a lonely remote place it pays to be minimally prepared.

Good instincts.

Glad it worked out for him and that the phone flash resulted in a rescue. When I read stories like this I think things like, "I wish my phone had a flash." then it comes to me that I've always got my Fenix L2D and ARC AAA P on me. Hopefully, if someone were looking, one would draw their attention.

Nice!

Nothing wrong with those improvisation skills and another good reason to carry a cellphone.

Nice improvisation with the flash. I'm gonna file that one away in the 'ol noggin.