Officials said it took over four hours to free the diver who was working on the reconstruction of the McQueeney Dam.
MCQUEENEY, Texas — A diver trapped under 20 feet of water at the McQueeney Dam for hours was saved Monday.
Emergency crews responded to call at 5:30 in the afternoon for a man who was trapped under the water. Luckily the man who authorities said is in his twenties had access to oxygen and radio communications with crews on land.
Seguin Fire Assistant Chief Garrick Herbert said something shifted under water trapping the diver who was helping with reconstruction on the dam. It took multiple agencies around four hours to save him.
Garrick said it’s a rescue mission they’ve never encountered.
While the diver had access to oxygen and communication, multiple emergency crews also responded to the scene, which Garrick said that made for a better outcome.
“Everything thing went really well because we involved all the right people,” he said.
From the shore Sandy Brown and Paul Overstreet watched.
Overstreet said there wasn’t much panic.
“I was just worried about who got hurt or how many got hurt,” Brown added.
Overstreet was taking pictures with his drone just before the rescue.
“It was extraordinary and the construction people knew right away when he was in trouble,” Overstreet said.
Brown caught the moment the diver was saved.
“They moved quickly once they found he couldn’t get out,” Brown said.
Four excruciating hours and the man under 20 feet of water was finally freed.
A crane grabbed hold of the medical basket he was in. He was then transported to an emergency vehicle, then a helicopter where he was flown to a San Antonio hospital.
The assistant chief said the diver was expected to be in the hospital for a few days but will make a full recovery.