Escape artist Spencer Horsman nearly drowns in botched underwater stunt

A magician who was handcuffed, chained and locked inside a water-filled tank needed help to get out of the box alive Tuesday, according to reports.

Spotters freed Spencer Horsman, who calls himself “The escape artist,” when he couldn’t undo one of the last bars holding him inside the tank after around three minutes, according to a video of the performance posted by New Jersey Advance Media.

He was conscious when he emerged in front of a cheering midday audience outside New Brunswick’s State Theatre. Paramedics took him to a nearby hospital as a precaution, the news outlet reported. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the rescue was a planned promotional stunt or a near-death experience.

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