Misled by Google Maps, car lands in ditch in Maharashtra
What's the story
A woman was rescued after her car fell into a ditch in Navi Mumbai yesterday. The incident occurred when she was driving from Belapur to Ulwe, following directions from Google Maps. Instead of taking the Bay bridge in Belapur, the navigation took her under it toward Dhruvatara Jetty, leading to the accident.
Rescue operation
Woman found floating in water
The woman's car was soon in the water. Marine security officials who witnessed the incident immediately swung into action and rescued her from the ditch. She was found floating in the water but thankfully wasn't injured in the mishap. Her vehicle was also retrieved from the ditch using a crane.
Previous incidents
Similar incidents in the past
This isn't the first time Google Maps has been blamed for misleading users and causing accidents. In a tragic mishap last year, three people died after their vehicle, guided by Google Maps, drove onto a damaged bridge, and plunged 50 feet into a river in Faridpur. The vehicle was on its way from Bareilly to Dataganj in Uttar Pradesh's Badaun district at the time of the accident.
Company response
Google had expressed its condolences
After the incident, Google had expressed its condolences and said it was cooperating with authorities. "Our deepest sympathies go out to the families. We're working closely with the authorities and providing our support to investigate the issue," a spokesperson had said. In a separate incident, tourists from Hyderabad drove into a swollen stream in Kerala while following Google Maps directions.