By Steve Fogarty
ELYRIA, Ohio — Moments before he jumped off a ledge into the old Republic Steel quarry around 2:25 p.m. Tuesday, Amir Elkhatib told two Elyria teens, “If I drown, call 911.” A few minutes later, Elkhatib, who jumped into the quarry with three buddies, was in trouble.
“Halfway across, he said he couldn’t do it,” Isaac Jones said. “We said, ‘We’re coming,’ and jumped in.”
The 13-year-old Elyria teen was at the quarry’s edge with a friend, Delmar Board, also 13, when he said Elkhatib, 21, of Westlake; Adam Abukhater, 21, of Rocky River; Mohammed Salieman, 21; and Mahmoud Sulieman, 20, both of North Olmsted, walked up to the quarry to swim. The quarry is between Riverside Drive and West River Road S. near West 11th Street.
Jones and Board talked about the incident as they gazed across the quarry as Elkhatib was tended to by Elyria firefighters who had rappelled down a rock ledge to reach him. Firefighters Robert Atkinson, Nick Bezbatchenko and John Vencl were the main firefighters involved in the rescue, according to fire Capt. James Cawley. The men were later charged with trespassing, according to police.
Full story: VIDEO: Elyria firefighters rescue distressed quarry swimmer