(Photo by Abby Koolhaas) Witnesses at a near drowning incident Saturday evening at Terrace Park were questioned at a nearby dock as rescue personnel worked on the two victims.

Two visiting divers from Aberdeen are credited with helping bring two struggling young men to shore on Saturday evening in a near drowning scare on West Lake Okoboji.

The Arnolds Park/Okoboji and Milford Fire and Rescue departments responded to a call at approximately 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Terrace Park on West Lake Okoboji. Yungbluth said he could not legally release the names of the victims involved in the incident since his department provided emergency care to them. Officials from the DNR were also unable to provide names for the individuals.

Yungbluth said he believed the victims were college students from Cedar Rapids. Initial reports indicated that two male victims in their twenties were possibly submerged.

"They were swimming at a local beach," said Arnolds Park/Okoboji Fire Chief Chris Yungbluth. "It is my understanding that they were playing catch with a ball when it got away from them when they got into trouble."

Upon arrival of the Milford Fire and Rescue team, it was determined that one man had already been rescued by a pair of recreational divers who had just completed a dive in the area. One man was still missing.

Divers Dr. Mark Voss and Kevin Vaughn, a member of the Aberdeen Dive team, had just completed a dive and were putting their equipment away when they noticed a pair of young men in trouble. A 911 call was made, and the divers went out to see if they could assist the victims. Upon arrival, one of the young men was clearly exhausted and unable to swim so the divers assisted the victim to shore. In the meantime, the other victim slipped below the surface of the water. One diver remained in the area completing a brief surface search using goggles and a snorkel while waiting for his dive gear to come to the end of the dock.

A Milford Rescue member also jumped into the water to assist with a surface search. When the diver was able to get his equipment on, he submerged and began a circular search pattern and them moved in a little closer to shore and repeated the search and at that time found the victim.

"These two gentlemen chose to get involved when someone was struggling in the water and by doing so saved a life," said Yungbluth.

As the diver surfaced with the victim, the Dive Team, Lakes Area Fire Boat and Arnolds Park/Okoboji Fire and Rescue surface team arrived at the scene, within seven minutes of the rescue call. They transported the victim to shore where the Arnolds Park/Okoboji and Milford rescue teams assisted the paramedics from Lakes Regional Healthcare to provide emergency care.

The victim was thought to have been submerged for around 15 minutes. He was transported in critical condition to Lakes Regional Healthcare and later airlifted to Avera McKennan in Sioux Falls, S.D. Yungbluth said last he knew the victim was still listed in critical condition.

The second victim was transported to Lakes Regional Healthcare by ambulance in stable condition.

Assisting at the scene was the Department of Natural Resources Lake Patrol, Milford Police Department, Dickinson County Sheriffs Office and Lakes Regional Healthcare Ambulance.