Confused man, 29, wakes up on a beach and uses Google Maps to find a shortcut home – only to end up clinging to a log 3km out at SEA
- A man used Google Maps to take a shortcut to his home on the Whakatane coast
- The New Zealander, however, ended up washed three km out to sea on a log
- He called emergency services from his phone and got rescued three hours later
A driver who used Google Maps to find a shortcut home has ended up three kilometres out at sea.
The 29-year-old was walking home on Saturday morning after having slept the night on a beach at Opotiki in New Zealand.
He was heading home from Opotiki to Kawerau – an 81km trip – when he decided to use Google Maps to take a shortcut.
A 29-year-old New Zealander was walking home on the Whakatane coast (pictured) when he used Google Maps to take a shortcut. He ended up landing three km out to sea on a log
‘He looked at Google Maps on his phone, seeing there was a possible shortcut by crossing at Ohiwa, which would take him to Ohope,’ St John Ambulance territory manager Richard Waterson told the New Zealand Herald.
The man tried to go across the Ohiwa bar during an ongoing tide, but was swept away.
He came across a log and was stuck on it for the next three hours.
The man used his waterproof phone and called emergency services.
Whakatane Surf Lifesaving Club spokesman Craig Julian said police asked them to rescue the man off the Whakatane coast.
‘We called him and he was able to direct us toward his location,’ Mr Julian said.
‘When we picked him up, he seemed okay. He was conversational and we weren’t too alarmed.’
He was later taken to Whakatane Hospital by an ambulance, but has since been discharged.
Officials said seeing there was a possible shortcut by crossing at Ohiwa, which would take him to Ohope, he unsuccessfully tried to go across the Ohiwa bar during an ongoing tide