ICOC Minister: "Huge Waves Swamped our Boat. It Sank to the Bottom"

Coast Guard helicopter plucks them from the Pacific.

"They'd have been dead in a few more minutes..."

UCLA Campus Minister Toney Kettering (2nd from right) and three others barely survived last week when their 26 foot rented boat was swamped by huge waves.  They were 12 miles off Catalina Island on a lobster diving excursion, when the waves filled their boat, sinking it to the bottom of the ocean.  Rushing to the radio, one of the men was able to get a "Mayday" call out only seconds before the ship, along with the radio, sank beneath them.  After the boat sank, they pulled on some thin wet suits and started treading water.  They were unsure at the time if the radio call had gone out, or if anyone had actually heard it.  

The Pacific Ocean is about 50º F this time of year.  According to the hypothermia tables, they only had about two hours to live in the cold water.  With barely any hope left, at the 1 hour 45 minute mark, they weren't even sure if anyone had heard their request for help.   Kettering told HotNews that he finally heard the sound of an approaching helicopter, only minutes before he'd have gone unconscious.  Kettering said that, "The Coast Guard picked up the signal, triangulated it, and rescued us by helicopter and boat."  

Three of the men are Christians, and their faith helped them to keep up hope.  The fourth man, after the incident, says he now wants to come to church and learn more about the Bible.

Mike  

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