Optus Network Failure Linked to Three Fatalities Amid Emergency Call Disruption

Optus, Australia’s second-largest telecommunications company, confirmed that a recent technical malfunction during a network upgrade disrupted emergency call services, leading to the deaths of three individuals. CEO Stephen Rue disclosed that the incident occurred on Thursday, potentially affecting around 600 customers across South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory.

During a press briefing on Friday, Rue stated, "Welfare checks have since identified three fatalities in households where emergency triple zero ("000") calls were attempted. Our inquiries are ongoing." He expressed deep remorse: "I wish to extend my sincere apologies to all customers who were unable to connect with emergency services when it was critical. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families and friends of those who lost their lives. This is wholly unacceptable, and we acknowledge that we have failed them."

Rue did not specify the exact duration of the failure, noting that this detail is still under investigation. The fault has now been rectified, with Optus initiating a comprehensive probe into the circumstances. The company committed to publicly releasing the investigation's findings once complete.

This event follows a history of significant operational challenges for Optus, including a $12 million fine imposed less than a year ago for a nationwide emergency call outage in 2023. Previously, in 2022, the firm faced a major cyberattack that compromised data belonging to approximately 9.5 million Australians. Another network outage earlier this year contributed to the departure of former CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin. Stephen Rue assumed leadership of Optus in November 2024.