Apple Maps glitch called ‘life-threatening’ by Australian police

The problems with Apple's Maps program in iOS 6 were widely mocked and panned when they first came out, but now Australian police are calling its problems downright deadly.

Police in Victoria, Australia have issued a warning telling iPhone users not to rely on Apple Maps for navigation when traveling to the city of Mildura, as the software has been directing people to the middle of a large, secluded national park.

[ Related: Not happy with Apple's new Maps in iOS6? Here are some alternatives ]

"Tests on the mapping system by police confirm the mapping systems lists Mildura in the middle of the Murray Sunset National Park, approximately 70km away from the actual location of Mildura," Victoria police said in a statement, according to BGR.

"Police are extremely concerned as there is no water supply within the Park and temperatures can reach as high as 46 degrees [Celsius] making this a potentially life threatening issue. Some of the motorists located by police have been stranded for up to 24 hours without food or water and have walked long distances through dangerous terrain to get phone reception."

Over the past two months, Victoria police say they've rescued six people who have been stranded in the park who were navigating using Apple Maps.

CNN contacted Apple spokesman Adam Howorth for comment, and while he would not comment on the Australian police allegations specifically, he told the news organization that Apple is "working hard to fix Maps."

[ Holiday tech gift guide: Five point-and-shoot cameras for budget-conscious gift givers ]

Since Apple released its Maps software as the built-in mapping software earlier this year to replace Google Maps, Apple has been widely criticized for releasing while it was still plagued with problems. Apple CEO Tim Cook has since apologized for the product, and two of the team members responsible for its release, platform services manager Richard Williamson and iOS chief Scott Forstall, were both let go over the Maps fiasco.

Need to know what's hot in tech? Follow @yrightclick on Twitter!