Coast Guard rescues divers after 36 hours

Scuba divers rescued by Coast Guard after going missing for 36 hours

Two scuba divers from Oklahoma, Nathan and Kim Maker, were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after going missing for over 36 hours off the Texas coast. The Makers were found about 15 miles offshore and are in stable condition, officials said Friday.

"They have a greater purpose, obviously. God truly did spare them...People don't survive that and not have a story to tell."
— Lisa Shearin, fellow diver

The divers were seen at the surface in Matagorda amid severe weather on Wednesday but were lost from sight as conditions worsened. Helicopter and boat crews initiated a large-scale search operation, canvassing 1,656 square miles of ocean. The divers were located by a flashing light in the water and rescued eight hours before the search was to be discontinued.

Other divers in the group, including Lisa Shearin, stayed to help with the search after the Makers drifted away from the boat due to heavy rain and high winds. The Makers are expected to recover; they had jellyfish stings and sunburns, and Nathan had nearly fallen into a diabetic coma.

Links:

• U.S. Coast Guard statement: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3851358/coast-guard-rescues-missing-divers-near-matagorda-texas/
• KOCO-TV report: https://www.koco.com/article/edmond-couple-rescued-38-hours-kim-maker-nathan-maker/61713303