Crews rescue teens from Oakland creek, recover cab from flood water

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- First responders were busy during the height of the storm Sunday as they rescued people from water, but sadly one man died when his car veered into deep water.

Later in the day, the Oakland Fire Department rescued a group of teens from drowning after they tried body surfing.

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There was also a dramatic rescue on the Oakland Estuary near Oakland International Airport, where the driver of a taxi went missing after witnesses saw a cab disappear into the water during the height of storm.

"He left the airport or one of the taxi stands, and somehow lost control," Oakland Fire Department Batt. Chief Cory Justice

A short time later, rescue divers located the car and the cab was pulled from the water. "One person inside, just the driver, we were able to get him out with help from Alameda city and the Oakland Fire Department," Justice said.

The man inside died later at the hospital.

Fellow cab drivers knew him as "Raj" and he worked as a longtime independent driver. "He was from India, we were good friends, we knew each other very well. He was a very good person," cab driver Abdul Ghani said.

In Oakland, one of the teens who nearly drowned in a creek spoke to ABC7 News saying: "I saw them go down, I thought my friends could die right now," Oakland resident Nick Mazor said.

The friends got stuck in a storm drain tunnel and were pulled out by the Oakland Fire Department.

"It wasn't cold because we had wet suits on, but it was definitely scary," Oakland resident Eli Farrington said.

Parent Peter Mazor said his son learned a tough lesson. "It was a scary call to get that they got swept away. Not the brightest thing to do," he said.

Peter was very relieved his son and his friends were okay.

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