Driver who plunged 330ft down mountain pass was saved by phone's crash alert

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Driver who plunged 330ft down mountain pass was saved by phone's crash alert2 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleAmy MackrillBBC WalesNatalia SidorskaNatalia Sidorska survived the car crash which left her hospitalised for four monthsA woman who survived a crash that saw her car plunge hundreds of feet down a mountainside in north Wales said her mobile phone saved her life. Natalia Sidorska, 32, lost control of her car while driving along Horseshoe Pass - a winding, scenic A road in Denbighshire - late one evening in June 2025. The vehicle careered off the road and rolled down the mountainside before coming to rest in a field below.

Moments after she escaped from the wreckage, it burst into flames. Mountain rescue teams estimated Natalia's car may have fallen more than 100m (330ft). She later discovered her iPhone had automatically activated a crash detection alert, notifying the emergency services and her emergency contacts, and sharing her location.

The Details

Natalia said the most challenging part was not actually the crash itself, but everything that followed. She said she often drove alone to clear her mind. On the night of the crash, she was driving along Horseshoe Pass for the first time.

"I didn't realise that there was a very tight bend coming up and when I realised... it was too late for me to do anything. "Getty ImagesNatalia's car may have fallen more than 100m (330ft) after losing control along the Horseshoe PassNatalia admitted she may have been driving too fast on the unfamiliar road, which has a 40mph speed limit.

She said she remembered "seeing everything" as the car fell, and gripped the steering wheel tightly to prevent it from falling off as the car hit the ground, the airbags deployed and the vehicle continued bouncing down the mountainside. When it finally stopped, Natalia realised she was trapped inside. "I opened my eyes and I realised that I'm still alive and I'm underneath the back seat for some reason," she said.

What Experts Say

"I tried to process what's just happened. And then I started hearing the clicking fire noise. "I realised that the car is on fire.

"Unable to move properly because of injuries to her leg, she tried unsuccessfully to force the doors open. Natalia SidorskaNatalia suffered life-changing injuries to her ankleBelieving she was going to die, she said she "decided that I will fall asleep so the smoke can poison me before I can feel the pain caused by flames". But moments later she remembered she had locked the car doors before setting off.

She unlocked the doors, crawled from the wreckage and rolled herself away from the vehicle. "I know it sounds like a movie, and if I wasn't there, I wouldn't believe it, but as soon as I looked at the car, it exploded," she said. "It was literally seconds.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.