Last week, an Oklahoma couple faced the harrowing experience of being lost at sea for nearly 40 hours after being separated from their dive boat. Experienced divers Kim and Nathan Maker were scuba diving off the coast of Matagorda, Texas, when a storm hit and caused them to lose their grip on the boat’s downline and drift away. Nathan describes watching the boat becoming smaller until it vanished from sight.
Facing dropping body temperatures and no immediate rescue in sight, the couple tethered themselves together for safety and attempted to swim towards an oil rig. Despite the danger, Kim says her husband kept a positive attitude, which she credits with helping them survive the ordeal. In the middle of their second night floating at sea, they heard planes overhead and used a flashlight to signal for help.
Nearly 36 hours into a 17-hundred-square-mile search for the couple, a U.S. Coast Guard aircraft spotted their flashlight signal and guided a fast response Coast Guard boat to their location. The Makers were transported to Coast Guard Station Freeport and later treated at a Texas hospital for jellyfish stings and sunburns. Reflecting on their rescue, Nathan expressed their deep gratitude, attributing their survival to both divine intervention and the Coast Guard's efforts.
Source: PEOPLE