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'Twitter Rescue' Fails Snowboarding Music Man

Twitter leads to two men missing in Alps whiteout, one dead

By Mary Papenfuss, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 4, 2009 3:57 AM CST

(Newser) – The first-ever "Twitter rescue" saved the life of a snowboarder in the Swiss Alps, but failed a 29-year-old British music entrepreneur whose body was found at the foot of a 66-foot cliff, reports the Daily Telegraph. Cheery "tweets" from a female companion noting "am having the best time here at Verbier" changed to panicked bulletins when Rob Williams and his pal, founders of Dolphin Music, went missing in a blizzard whiteout.

Searchers called the men's phones after finding their numbers through a Twitter request. Williams' business partner sent back GPS coordinates via his iPhone and was saved, but it was too late for Williams. Officials confirmed his death after the last tweet sent by a searcher: "Still looking for Rob. Will let everyone know as soon as we hear."

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

This undated screen shot shows Twitter, a short-message social networking site. (AP Photo)

A winter sports fan hits the slopes near Verbier, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott)

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Rob's number rec'd via Twitter; Jason now found using GPS/Google maps & phone; still working on finding Rob. - Alex Hoyle, tech entrepreneur vacationing with the men

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'Twitter Rescue' Fails Snowboarding Music Man