Aussie Police Warn Against Using Apple Maps Lest You End Up Lost In The Wilderness

Apple hit a few bumps in the road a few months ago with its map application on the newest iteration of iOS, enough so that it suggested iPhone 5 owners use competing apps while the company worked out the kinks. Australian police are totally on board with people not using iOS maps either, after several people followed the app’s instructions and reportedly had to be rescued from the wilderness as a result.

Cops in Victoria, Australia are warning travelers this week against relying on Apple’s maps, saying there have been a bunch of travelers who were stranded or lost due to following bad directions. Some people were lost without plenty of food and water for 24 hours, reports CNET.

Instead of being directed to an inland city, cops say they had to rescue six drivers after they were directed to a national park 43 miles from their intended destination.

In a statement, police said:

“Tests on the mapping system by police confirm the mapping systems lists Mildura in the middle of the Murray Sunset National Park, approximately 70km away from the actual location of Mildura. Police are extremely concerned as there is no water supply within the Park and temperatures can reach as high as 46 degrees [Celsius, roughly 115 degrees Fahrenheit], making this a potentially life threatening issue. Anyone travelling to Mildura or other locations within Victoria should rely on other forms of mapping until this matter is rectified.”

There’s already been a lot of fallout from the maps debacle, which began in September when Apple ditched Google Maps on iOs 6 replaced it with its own apps. There were complaints from users of inaccuracies in the map’s directions, prompting CEO Tim Cook to apologize to customers.

Australia police discourage use of Apple maps app after rescues [CNET]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.