Apple Corrects Maps Inaccuracy After Motorists Get Stranded in Australia

Apple has fixed an inaccuracy with Maps that stranded motorists in the middle of Murray-Sunset National Park, Australia, reports The Register.

Australian police issued a warning yesterday after rescuing motorists who had tried to follow Apple Maps directions to Mildura.

Police are extremely concerned as there is no water supply within the Park and temperatures can reach as high as 46 degrees, making this a potentially life threatening issue. Some of the motorists located by police have been stranded for up to 24 hours without food or water and have walked long distances through dangerous terrain to get phone reception.

Notably, it appears that the cause of the inaccuracy may have originated from the Australian Gazetteer.

In this case, the Australian Gazetteer – the authoritative list of 300,000-plus placenames, complete with coordinates – includes two Milduras. One is the “real” town, the other is an entry for “Mildura Rural City”, coordinates -34.79724 141.76108. It’s this second entry that points to the middle of the Murray-Sunset National Park, just near a spot called Rocket Lake.

Read More [via Sam]