A couple from Oklahoma managed to survive being stranded in the ocean for almost 40 hours after they went scuba diving and found themselves stranded at sea.
While on a diving tour off the coast of Texas, Kim and Nathan Maker found themselves stranded at sea due to choppy waters. They were forced to fight for their survival for a grueling 39 hours.
As Nathan and his wife Kim were diving, they encountered some trouble when a fellow diver had difficulty grabbing onto a dive line. Nathan quickly swam over to assist, ensuring the other diver made it safely out of the water. However, this act of heroism left Nathan and Kim struggling to hold onto the dive line as the current became too strong. The two were swept up by the current and left stranded.
The Inside Edition team got to hear the story of the married couple firsthand as they recounted their experience.
Kim recounts how the waves relentlessly kept crashing onto the shore, one after the other. “They just didn’t stop,” she says.
Kim, a teacher who specializes in special education, is currently dealing with a painful sunburn.
Kim recalls that during their time adrift at sea, she and her companion made the decision to keep their masks on to protect their eyes from the waves. “It was important for us to stay safe and comfortable while we waited for rescue,” she explains.
Nathan reveals that after being submerged for a long time, one starts to feel extremely cold and shivers. To warm themselves up, they resorted to swimming sprints to make use of their large muscles.
The struggle of the husband and wife to stay afloat is vividly captured in the footage taken by a Coast Guard plane.
Kim explains that they always use dive lights during their dives, and she did her best to shine it as effectively as possible.
The long-awaited moment finally arrived when, after enduring 39 grueling hours, the Coast Guard boat finally arrived to provide assistance.
An individual from the Coast Guard crew, who spotted the couple in the air, recounted that due to extensive cloud coverage, their visibility was significantly restricted. While onboard, the crew member noticed a frantic flashing light through the window, catching their attention.
They were located after an extensive search effort by the Coast Guard, covering an area of 1650 square miles in the ocean.
Kim and Nathan are filled with gratitude for being discovered alive. They consider it nothing short of a miracle.
Nathan expresses his deep belief that the individuals who came to their rescue were truly the hands of God. He finds it difficult to articulate the experience but asserts that they were their ultimate saviors who extended their helping hands and pulled them out of danger.
Despite the fear-inducing experience, the individuals involved remain undeterred and plan to continue exploring the depths through more dives.
