Two scuba divers from Oklahoma were rescued 15 miles offshore after spending more than 36 hours in the water.
Nathan and Kim Maker are from Edmond, Oklahoma. The pair went off Wednesday for a day of scuba diving, off the Texas coast. Unfortunately, severe weather blew in during the afternoon of their expedition. Once the weather had passed and conditions were clear, the pair had seemingly vanished.
According to USA Today, helicopter and boat crews quickly began rescue efforts Wednesday afternoon. The pair, who were last seen at the surface in Matagorda, were located with the help of a flashing light on Friday.
According to a report from the US Department of Homeland Security, the rescue search lasted over 36 hours, and crews canvased 1,656 square miles of the ocean during the efforts. Upon the rescue, the divers were transported to a Coast Guard station, and were reported to be in stable condition.
Pair of Oklahoma Scuba Divers Rescued Over 15 Miles Offshore
Interestingly, Kim Maker is an elementary teacher in Edmond. In a statement directly from the Edmond School District, the district expressed elation at Kim's rescue.
According to reporting from KOCO-TV, Kim and Nathan went out scuba diving with Lisa Shearin. Shearin was both relieved, but also shocked by their survival. "They have a greater purpose, obviously. God truly did spare them," said Shearin. She continued that "people don't survive that and not have a story to tell."
The rescue of the Makers, as stated by Shearin, does feel like a bit of a miracle. The pair spent over 36 hours in the water, and tread as they traveled over 15 miles from the shore. Moreover, the pair was saved only because of a flashing light that was spotted by a rescue crew member. While plenty went wrong, in regards to the severe weather that forced the pair into a dangerous situation, enough good things happened to get them back to Oklahoma safely.
The story is also a good reminder of the importance in planning for an emergency, as the flashing light certainly did its job in grabbing a rescuer's attention.
