2 Oklahomans found alive after going missing while scuba diving off Texas coast, family says

By Alyse Jones

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    MATAGORDA, Texas (KOCO) — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two Oklahomans who went missing while scuba diving earlier this week off the coast of Texas.

On Wednesday, the Coast Guard were notified that two people were reported missing while scuba diving near Matagorda, which is between Galveston and Port Aransas. They learned that the two were last seen surfacing in bad weather but were not seen after the conditions cleared.

The Coast Guard deployed helicopter and aircraft crews as well as a response boat crew to find the missing scuba divers.

Family members confirmed to KOCO 5 that the scuba divers were Nathan and Kim Maker, who are from Edmond.

Kim Maker is a teacher at an Edmond elementary school. The district told KOCO 5 in a statement that “Our EPS community has been praying for the Makers and their family. We are elated to hear they have been found safe.”

A news release states that the Coast Guard rescued the Makers on Thursday, finding them in water about 15 miles offshore from Matagorda after the Ocean Sentry aircraft crew saw a flashing light in the water.

KOCO 5 spoke with a diver who was on the trip with the Makers, saying their story is nothing short of a miracle.

“They have a greater purpose, obviously. God truly did spare them,” Lisa Shearin said. “People don’t survive that and not have a story to tell.”

The Makers were taken to Coast Guard Station Freeport, where they were last reported to be in stable condition.

The search for the Makers lasted 36 hours and spanned about 1,650 square miles.

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