Google Maps sent Utah driver down this 'shortcut' from hell
A driver had to be rescued from a Utah mountain, after following a 'shortcut' on Google maps.
The unknown man, 23, was rescued from Strawberry at midnight on Thursday evening according to the Wasatch County Search and Rescue.
Officials said that the man was trapped in his Toyota Turcell on the west side of the peak and the rescue took them three hours.
Images captured by rescue crews show the blue vehicle on a rocky dirt path, with crews having to use all terrain vehicles just to get to the driver.
According to rescuers, the man had ended up on the hill as part of a recommended shortcut from Google maps.
Officials said that the man was trapped in his Toyota Turcell on the west side of the peak and the rescue took them three hours
Images captured by rescue crews show the blue vehicle on a rocky dirt path, with crews having to use all terrain vehicles just to get to the driver
In a statement, they said: '911 Dispatch Center received a call from a stranded motorist.
'The 23 year-old male was stuck in his Toyota Turcell on the west side of Strawberry peak.
'This was the shortcut that google recommended between Springville and Vernal.
'The driver was uninjured but required transport off the mountain. SAR teams responded and rendered assistance.'
It comes after Google fixed a part of their maps that had caused drivers in Utah to become stranded on another mountain.
Emery County’s Sheriff Tyson Huntington told ABC4 that several times per month, they receive a call for help coming from a remote road on East Mountain.
Huntington said that the problem had been people using Google maps and just entering the state name Utah, with it automatically taking them to a remote area.
In every case, search and rescue teams were able to help them and their cars get off the mountain.
An 18-wheel semi-truck carrying a 53-foot reefer trailer full of Red Bull (pictured) got stuck in the mud after its navigation system took the driver down the road
A map of the road before Google made the correction on their navigation system
Due to the issues, the sheriff's office contacted Google who eventually made the appropriate changes.
The worst case according to the sheriff had been an 18-wheel semi-truck carrying a trailer got stuck in the mud after its system took the driver down the road.
After the incident, the sheriff's department contacted Google, along with the news outlet, and were 'super excited' when they got a response.
'We use multiple sources to update the map – including contributions from the community, information from local authorities, along with Street View and satellite imagery,' a Google spokesperson told News4.
'We’ve updated this route on our map and it should be reflected in the coming days.'
Huntington noted that the issue was fixed even before Google responded.
