A simple dropped phone led to a major multi-agency emergency response near Mount Pisgah and Lake Willoughby in Westmore, Vermont, on Monday afternoon — after the device automatically sent an alert indicating a possible plane crash.
According to reports, a hiker accidentally dropped his phone off a cliff while on Mount Pisgah. The phone apparently triggered an automated emergency alert, prompting authorities to respond to what they believed could be an aircraft accident.
Police and fire crews from more than a dozen agencies rushed to the area, with emergency operations established at the South End Trailhead.
The response quickly escalated. The Vermont Division of Fire Safety and Vermont State Police deployed drones to search the area, while a nearby National Guard helicopter joined the operation from the air. A hospital in Newport was also reportedly placed on alert as responders prepared for the possibility of casualties.
But there was one major problem — there was no plane crash.
The hiker reportedly had no idea that his phone had transmitted the emergency alert. Poor cell service in the mountainous area further complicated the situation, making it difficult for authorities to immediately confirm what had happened.
“They didn’t realize it was coming from their phone because they didn’t have service,” Vermont State Police Sgt. Nathan Handy explained.
The hiker eventually regained cell service in Lyndonville and contacted authorities, confirming that he was safe, there was no emergency — and he had never even been in a plane.
With the mystery finally solved, the large-scale search operation was called off.
