FWIW, I dropped my phone in the Chicago River. Crossing a drawbridge, I pulled out my phone to check the time. It slipped and fell - right into the gap in the middle. I peered through the gap to see if was there, and was able to see the splash it made.

Neither SIM nor eSIM would have helped.

In that case, I waited to get home (I didn't live in Illinois) and got a new SIM by mail.