A family from Key West, Florida, is thanking God after their son, who was free-diving and spearfishing several miles offshore, was rescued after being caught up in the powerful Gulf Stream current and swept out to sea.
The Gartenmayer family said they immediately began to search for 22-year-old Dylan Gartenmayer, who got caught in the current and was carried away from his friends.
Two of the free diver’s friends had been watching him from a boat when he had suddenly found himself caught in the current.
Free diving is a form of underwater diving that relies on breath-holding until resurfacing rather than the use of breathing apparatus such as scuba gear.
Gartenmayer said he was free-diving at about 35 feet when the current swept him out to waters as deep as 150 feet. He told WTVJ-TV that he was underwater for almost two minutes.
Gartenmayer said he resurfaced about a mile from where he was initially diving. He swam over a mile to a channel marker while clutching bamboo he found drifting in the water.
Gartenmayer’s mother, Tabitha said “It’s a miracle. We landed right on my son. And a needle in a haystack. You’re in the middle of the ocean. And that’s God.”
The Coast Guard told WTVJ-TV that it was grateful to know that Gartenmayer was found safe.
The family said by way of a miracle, he will get to dive another day.