Woman drives car into creek after Google Maps misdirection, rescued by police

 

By Sumesh Rajan | July 29, 2025

Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, INDIA: A woman in her mid-30s was rescued in the early hours of Friday July 25, after her Audi Q3 plunged into a creek in Belapur, allegedly due to a navigational error by Google Maps. The incident took place around 1 am near the Dhruvtara Jetty, when the woman, a salon owner from Kharghar, was on her way home to Ulwe.

According to police, instead of guiding her over the Belapur Bay bridge, Google Maps directed her to take a route beneath the bridge. The woman inadvertently took a left turn onto a service road leading to the Dhruvtara Jetty — a dead end with no barriers — and drove straight into the creek.

Santosh Kane, Senior Inspector of the Coastal Security Police, said his team noticed the SUV heading dangerously close to the water and tried to signal the driver to stop. “Unfortunately, before she could react, the car had already fallen into the creek,” he said.

Despite the heavy rain and poor visibility, the woman managed to open the car door and stay afloat until a marine patrol team rescued her using a boat. She did not sustain any major injuries and was later brought ashore safely.

Officers from the CBD Belapur police station arrived at the scene shortly after. Assistant Inspector Narayan Palampalle confirmed that the woman was unharmed and did not require medical treatment. Her vehicle was recovered from the creek with the help of a hydraulic crane.

In her statement to the police, the woman said she had been following directions on Google Maps when the mishap occurred. “She mentioned that due to the rain, visibility was low, and she couldn’t tell that the road ended at the jetty,” said Palampalle.

Authorities said that due to the nature of the jetty, constructing a permanent barrier is not feasible. However, the Marine Security Department now plans to install barricades and navigational warning boards at least 100 metres before the jetty to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Police have not filed any case, treating the incident as an accident caused by misdirection. This case adds to the growing list of GPS-related mishaps being reported across the country