Diver rescued from Cook Strait says he never gave up hope

A scuba diver who was swept three kilometres out to sea has described swallowing so much water he vomited several times, but he never gave up hope of being rescued. Todd Russell spent fours hours in the water off Wellington's south coast yesterday afternoon before being rescued. He says he has spent his whole life in the water - surf life saving and free diving - and it's that experience that kept him alive. He told RNZ reporter Hamish Cardwell at his Island Bay home that he had been doing some exercises under the water by himself for a couple of minutes away from the boat and other divers.But when he came back to the surface he realised he was in trouble.