Staff at Aposai Scenic Area in Lushan, Henan dismantled bridge planks and submerged for two hours to retrieve a tourist’s iPhone dropped in a lake.

Social Context

Scenic area operators bear statutory rescue obligations under the Tourism Law and Civil Code. While commendable, such efforts highlight infrastructure gaps—prompting Henan’s 2024 ‘Smart Scenic Zone’ rollout featuring waterproof retrieval drones and underwater sonar mapping.

Safety Tip

Tourists should use waterproof phone cases, enable ‘Find My Device’ with location history, and notify staff immediately—retrieval success drops 70% after first hour in freshwater.