In the British Isles, a stranded boat made an emergency may day call as Gale force winds and 30 foot waves left passengers and crew fought for their lives.

Under mounting seas, the RNLI Coast Guard Crew battled to get to the position where the distress call had been made, but to no avail. It was feared that all souls had been lost.

It was the quick thinking of a so far un-named young RNLI crew member that saved the day. Being a gadget enthusiast he realized that if any member of passenger or crew has a cell hone device such as an iPhone, the Belfast Coast Guard could track down any GPS signals being given off in the immediate vicinity of the high Seas.

Sure enough they downloaded an iPhone locator app available at the Apple App Store and were able to find readings of several GPS signals, providing rescuers with the essential co-ordinates needed to mount a successful rescue.

Such was the force of the perfect storm they found themselves the helpless Cruiser was eventually located some 30 miles from its reported position, perilously drifting towards the infamous rocky shoreline of Eagle Point.

Coastguard Watch Manager Steven Carson said it was a “combination of luck and technology” that saved those onboard.

“They had charts on board but obviously no real idea of how to get to their destination or how to report their position in an emergency,” he continued.

“Vital hours would have been wasted eliminating one possible location after another, time that we wouldn’t have had if the vessel had struck the rocks and sunk.”

“In such situations the Apple iPhone app has shown that it is a great weapon in saving lives. If it wasn’t for the quick thinking of the RNLI crew, this situation could well have been a recovery mission.”