The deputy who pulled a teen from the bottom of the mill pond of Spirit Lake on Wednesday afternoon said it took a group effort to give the boy a chance of surviving.

Kootenai County Deputy Bob Bjelland pulled Spirit Lake 16-year-old August J. "A.J." Marksworth from water 7 to 8 feet deep. Marksworth was in critical condition at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane on Thursday.

"In my mind, the true heroes are the civilian boat operator, the kayakers (and others who assisted, including those who rendered CPR)," said Bjelland, a former Navy diver and on the county's dive team for the past four years.

The boy who was with Marksworth during the incident, Nathan T. Thiers, 15, Spirit Lake, was treated and released from Kootenai Medical Center on Wednesday night.

More details of what happened were released on Thursday.

The two teens were at the mill pond area at the north end of Spirit Lake when they decided to wade across the pond, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department. Most of the area is 4 to 5 feet deep, however, parts are 7 to 8 feet deep.

"As they were wading across the pond, Marksworth stepped into an area that was about 8 feet deep," a press release states. "According to family members, Marksworth is not a good swimmer nor is he able to tread water.

"Thiers went to Marksworth and tried to pull him to shallower water, but after about 30 yards, both subjects became very tired and let go of each other. Marksworth then sank to the bottom."

Thiers reported that he was in the water no more than an additional 4 minutes before being rescued by a person in a kayak. The person couldn't reach Marksworth, however.

Bjelland, who was in the area returning from an unrelated accident, arrived on scene after being flagged down by bystanders. The deputy reached the area Marksworth was at via a private boat.

"The man was bringing his boat in from fishing with his son," Bjelland said.

Responders in a Spirit Lake Fire boat directed Bjelland to the area Marksworth was.

"Some witnesses also did a good job of pointing to where he was last seen," said Bjelland, who has been at the county since 2006.

Bjelland dove into the water - with a mask and snorkel - and recovered Marksworth from the lake bottom in an estimated two minutes. The deputy said the water was "relatively clear."

Bjelland transferred Marksworth into the fire boat where CPR was started.

"We are estimating that A.J. was under water 10 to 15 minutes," KCSD Major Ben Wolfinger said.

Marksworth was transported to Sacred Heart via a MedStar helicopter. He was unconscious when he was airlifted.

"Our prayers certainly go out to A.J. and his family," Bjelland said.

The mill pond area is a former industrial area where a sawmill was located and there can be hazards in the water and on the bottom, Bjelland said.

"A lot of times they're unseen," he said.

Contrary to an earlier report from a bystander, the lily pads in the pond were not a factor in the incident, Wolfinger said.

Bjelland agreed to be interviewed at a press conference on his day off on Thursday to deliver a simple, but important message.

"Wear a life jacket; learn to swim," he said. "Water is your friend ... if you're comfortable in it."

Neither family of the teens could be reached for comment on Thursday.

Investigation continues of March Spirit Lake Teen death

The investigation into the March 25 death of Luke Anana-Kuewa, 18, Spirit Lake, continues.

He was found dead and partially submerged in Spirit Lake. The Kootenai County Sheriff's Department declined to comment on the case on Thursday.

Detectives aren't saying whether it appears the death of Anana-Kuewa was an accident or suspicious based on their investigation.

The Kootenai County Prosecutor's Office will review the case after the KCSD investigation.

Investigators have been speaking to the people who may have seen Anana-Kuewa before he ended up in the icy waters to determine why he ended up in the small cove on the north end of the lake.

The lake was mostly frozen with open water near shore on much of the lake.

Spirit Lake Police Chief Pat Lawless earlier said a group of kids were questioned, but declined to comment further and referred questions to the KCSD.