A false alarm generated by a smartwatch mobilized dozens of rescuers throughout the night in Asso, in the province of Como. At 2:10 a.m., a call went out to 118 reporting that a person had fallen in an impassable area above the town center. Firefighters, 118 personnel with a helicopter, Alpine Rescue and Carabinieri combed woods and trails for more than six hours, with teams arriving from Canzo, Erba, Cantù, Como and Milan. The search ended only at 8:20 a.m., when the man was tracked down: he was unharmed and was quietly at his home.
What had actually triggered the alarm was his wrist smartwatch, which had fallen to the ground and automatically activated the SOS function, sending the emergency alert to 112. An incomplete message, mentioning only “fallen person”, triggered the massive rescue machine.