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Divers race to rescue David Blaine as his body shows signs of danger during Blaine's latest stunt in New York.
New York - Illusionist David Blaine was urgently pulled out of a water-filled sphere on Monday after failing to hold his breath for nine minutes inside the bubble that had been his underwater home for seven days.
Two divers jumped into the tank as Blaine appeared to struggle while removing chains that had been placed on his hands and feet. His official time was seven minutes and eight seconds, short of the world record of eight minutes and 58 seconds.
The 33-year-old American was dramatically lifted up in front of a crowd in the plaza of New York's Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts after seven days in the bubble in which he had breathed and eaten through tubes.
'Humbled'
After quickly being attended by rescuers who gave him oxygen, an emotional Blaine, who spent a record 176 hours under water, addressed the cheering crowd.
"I'm humbled so much by the support of everybody from New York City and from all over the world," said a visibly weak Blaine as tears trickled down his wet face.
"This was a very difficult week, but you all made it fly by with your spirit and your energy," he said before stepping down a ladder and getting medical attention. "Thank you so much everybody, thank you and I love you all."
Blaine had spent the past week inside the 2.45 metre high glass sphere.
The water and pressure had taken a toll on Blaine's body, worrying doctors at the scene who expressed concern about his attempt to hold his breath for a record-breaking nine minutes.
Grand finale
Before holding his breath for the grand finale, Blaine's hands and feet were heavily chained. His trainers stood outside the bubble, encouraging him to relax and telling him he was doing well.
After more than four minutes of apnea, the illusionist began removing the handcuffs. But his mouth began to quiver and nearly seven minutes into the stunt the rescuers dived into the tank.
Doctors had warned that prolonged submersion poses a number of hazards, including nerve damage, blackouts, sleep deprivation and skin problems.
Doctors feared losing consciousness
Still, Blaine decided to go ahead with the stunt even though his hands and feet were deeply wrinkled and his blood pressure was at a worrisome level. Doctors had worried that he might lose consciousness.
"His hands and feet are severely affected," his trainer Kirk Krack, a freediving expert, told AFP earlier in the day.
"He has a pins and needles pain sensation, the skin is starting to crack on his hands, he doesn't have full mobility of his hands, that's a big concern at this point."
Other stunts
This was the latest in a series of drama-filled stunts by the daring illusionist.
In one of his most controversial and memorable shows, he underwent a 44-day fast while suspended above London's River Thames in a glass box in 2003.
Other Blaine stunts have included being encased in ice for nearly 62 hours and spending 35 hours on a 30-metre-high pillar that was only 56 centimetres wide.
