Apple Maps strands drivers in desert-like Australia park

SYDNEY (AP) -- Australian police are warning that Apple's much-maligned mapping application is stranding drivers headed to the southern city of Mildura in the middle of a remote state park.

Victoria state police say an error in Apple's Maps service places the city of Mildura about 44 miles away in the Murray Sunset National Park. The park is a desert-like 1,900-square-mile region with scorching temperatures, no water and virtually no mobile phone reception.

Police have been forced to rescue distressed drivers. Some were stranded for 24 hours with no food or water and have walked long distances through tough terrain to access phone reception.

Earlier this year, Apple dropped Google Maps from its mobile operating systems in favor of its own mapping application, which has been criticized for bad directions, misplaced landmarks and missing towns.

CEO Tim Cook apologized in September and said the map service "fell short" of Apple's standards.