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iPhone alerts first responders of deadly crash that killed 6 people

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Posted at 7:00 PM, Oct 03, 2022
and last updated 2022-10-03 22:00:46-04

LINCOLN, Neb. — Authorities in Nebraska said six people are dead after the car they were all in struck a tree over the weekend in Lincoln.

On Sunday, police said officers responded to the fatal accident just before 3 a.m. Five men inside the vehicle were dead when they arrived at the scene.

A woman, who was also in the vehicle, was transported in life-threatening condition to a nearby hospital, where she later died, police said.

The Associated Press reported that first responders were alerted of the accident by one of the passengers' iPhones after it detected the impact and called 911 automatically when the phone's owner didn't respond.

Although the victims' names haven't been released, police released their ages.

Police said the driver and two men passengers were 22-year-olds, one was 21, and one was 23. The woman was 24, the Associated Press reported.

"This is the worst crash in Lincoln in recent memory," police said in a statement on its Twitter account. "Our hearts are heavy for the victim's families."

Lincoln Police Assistant Chief Michon Morrow told the Associated Press that although the investigation into the crash is still ongoing, there weren't any eyewitnesses, so it might be challenging to find out what actually happened.

“The cause of this accident is going to take us some time to pin down,” Morrow told the news outlet. “We are looking at all possibilities, including alcohol, speed, or distracted driving.”