TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's worst drought in over 50 years has been a boon for one lucky tourist who was able to recover a fully functional iPhone that he accidentally dropped into Sun Moon Lake almost exactly one year ago.
As Taiwan endures its worst drought in 56 years, Sun Moon Lake is seeing a drastic drop in water levels, with some areas completely bone dry. Over the weekend, a member of the Facebook group Bao Fei 1 Commune (爆廢1公社) surnamed Chen (陳) announced his iPhone had been found after the area of the lake he dropped it in receded.
Chen wrote that he had been wearing the phone around his neck while paddleboarding on the lake on March 15 of last year but frequently lost his balance and would flop into the water. He stated that on one of the occasions when he fell off the board, the phone disappeared.
Last time Chen saw his phone as it hung around his neck. (Facebook, Bao Fei 1 Commune photo)
In anticipation of such spills, he placed the smartphone in a plastic waterproof phone pouch before setting out on the paddleboard. When he lost the phone, a friend optimistically told him, "Rest assured, you'll see your iPhone 11 pro max 512G again in a year."
He also wondered aloud to his wife if the phone would be found by a passerby "floating on the lake." Over a year later in early April, as the drought had baked away much of the water from the area he had visited, he received notice that his phone had been found lying on the dry lakebed.
Photo showing moment Chen believes the phone fell off him. (Facebook, Bao Fei 1 Commune photo)
On April 2, Chen returned to Sun Moon Lake to find out what state his phone was in. Locals told him the location where his phone was found had not seen the water fully recede in 50 to 60 years.
They added that not long after they picked up his phone, the water started to rise again. Chen said he was so excited by the miraculous find that he suffered insomnia for a few days.
Chen's phone (left), waterproof phone pouch (right). (Facebook, Bao Fei 1 Commune photo)
When he took the phone back home, he removed it from the heavily soiled pouch and found it was fully intact. He then charged it up and found its operating system and functions to be normal.
Chen wrote, "I can only say that the waterproof case for the phone is really great! There is no water in it!" He then added, "I'm so happy to have recovered my phone after having lost it for so long."
Many netizens joked about the discovery of the "mini Titanic":
"This achievement may be impossible for many people to accomplish in a lifetime."
"It's amazing! If it hadn't been found, you could have become an archeologist."
"The manufacturer should make you a business partner."
"I think this is a great legend."
"The biggest beneficiary of the lack of water in the reservoir."
"At that time, did a river god come out to ask you, 'Is this gold mobile phone yours?'"
"The mobile phone said: 'Please come to Sun Moon Lake to see me in a year.'"
"Sales of this waterproof bag are going to boom."
