Police snipers protect Florida divers during water rescue in alligator-infested pond

Dive team pulls victims from water

Police snipers were called to the scene of a water rescue in Florida to protect divers from alligators.

The Florida Highway Patrol reports a minivan was traveling on the Florida Turnpike in West Miami-Dade on Friday when the driver lost control on an exit ramp, overturned and drove into a retention pond.

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A man and an elderly woman were in the vehicle, according to officials.

Witnesses jumped into the water to help, and authorities called dive teams to the scene, along with the snipers.

The divers pulled the victims from the water, while the snipers protected all of them from alligators in the pond.

The woman and man were taken to the hospital in critical condition, officials said.

It’s not known if the snipers fired any shots.