Family headed to beach vacation spends harrowing night trapped in forest after using Google Maps

While real-time navigation through smartphones offers many benefits, aerial mapping technology can sometimes lead to strange places. Travelers often share stories about GPS providing inaccurate directions, sending them to unexpected and remote areas far from their intended destination. A similar incident occurred with a family from India, who, while heading to a tourist spot, ended up in the middle of a jungle. The incident took place when Ranjit Das, accompanied by his loved ones, was traveling from the northern Indian state of Bihar to Goa in the south. According to local police, they were relying on Google Maps to reach the “Pearl of the Orient,” but something unusual happened, reported Hindustan Times.

Ranjit and his family were traveling in one car to Goa for a holiday when the popular navigation app suggested a route through the Shiroli and Hemmadaga areas. They followed the directions without hesitation, unaware of the upcoming crisis. The family from Bihar ended up seven to eight kilometers deep inside the thick and dangerous Bhimgad forest in Karnataka, known for its rich wildlife, miles away from their planned destination.

Notably, the forest is located in the Belgavi district, which has severe connectivity issues, according to the local press. The family of six was unable to call for help or find their way out of the dense forest. Ranjit reportedly attempted several times to reach out for assistance, but his smartphone had no network connection. They were left stranded in the unfamiliar and potentially dangerous terrain, forced to spend the night in their car, according to Khanapur police inspector Manjunath Nayak.

The next morning, Ranjit was fortunate to find enough network coverage to make an emergency call after walking nearly four kilometers (approximately 2.49 miles) in search of mobile connectivity. He was then able to contact the local helpline number 112, alerting the law enforcement agency. A rescue team was dispatched, and with the help of GPS coordinates, the police successfully located the stranded family.

“The Belagavi police control room passed the information to the Khanapur police, who used GPS coordinates to locate the family and reach them with the help of villagers,” the outlet quoted Officer Nayak as saying. He added that the family was lucky to have found cell connectivity, as the forest is home to a variety of wildlife. The law enforcement agency was assisted by a team of villagers in tracking down the family stranded in the middle of nowhere.

“The family, unaware of how to get out of the forest, spent the entire night in their locked car surrounded by wildlife. The next morning, the family retraced their route for about 3 kilometers, where they regained mobile network coverage,” Officer Nayak shared with the outlet. Prior to this incident, a farmer had recently lost part of his leg due to a bear attack in the same area.