An off-duty firefighter has been hailed a hero after diving beneath an overturned boat to save three children trapped underwater in a terrifying lake accident.
Firefighter and paramedic Jason Horne was enjoying a Fourth of July trip with his daughter when frantic boaters began desperately waving for help.
Without a second thought, the 20-year fire service veteran plunged into the water and swam towards the capsized vessel.
READ MORE: Arsonist sets himself on FIRE in botched attempt to torch cafe
What followed was a dramatic rescue that saw him pull three children from danger and perform life-saving CPR, as reported by Need To Know.
“I went under the boat and felt a life jacket,” Horne recalled.
On his first dive beneath the vessel, he located a young boy and brought him safely back to the surface.
But knowing more children were still missing, he immediately went back underwater.
During a second dive, Horne found an unresponsive girl trapped beneath the boat.
Balancing on the upturned hull, he began performing CPR until she started breathing again.
Refusing to stop there, the firefighter entered the water for a third time to search for another child.
The rescue was complicated by poor visibility until nearby boaters managed to roll the vessel back over.
A second young boy then surfaced tangled in an anchor rope.
The child was not breathing, but Horne was able to restore his pulse before carrying him to waiting emergency crews, according to the City of Midlothian.
Fire Chief Dale McCaskill praised the dramatic rescue.
He said: “Firefighter Horne’s actions exemplify courage, training and an unwavering commitment to saving lives.
“Even off duty, his instinct to serve never stopped.”
The incident happened on a Texas lake in the US during Fourth of July celebrations.
Horne said the fact all three children were wearing life jackets played a vital role in the successful rescue.
The City of Midlothian also praised the boaters who assisted during the emergency.
All three children survived the terrifying ordeal thanks to the rapid rescue and treatment at the scene.
READ MORE: Pop star trips and whacks head on stage during sold-out concert
