By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 00:51 EST, 5 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:11 EST, 5 June 2013 . Critical: Cesar Campuzano, pictured, is fighting for his life after he jumped into an Oregon river with his friends despite not knowing how to swim . A 15-year-old boy is fighting for his life after he jumped into an Oregon river with his friends, despite not knowing how to swim, and spent 30 minutes underwater. Cesar Campuzano, a freshman known at Newberg High School for his 'big smile,' disappeared below the surface after his classmates tried to help him get out but couldn't. The group of teens, who had been hanging out on the Willamette River at Rogers Landing called 911 at 6:19 p.m. on Monday to report the potential drowning. But the fire department's rescue team took almost 20 minutes to arrive and it wasn't until 6:47 p.m. that a diver located Cesar underwater and pulled him from the river. Paramedics initiated CPR before he was transported by Life Flight helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland where he remains in critical condition. 'He just went back under and we just didn't see him again,' one of the girls who witnessed the incident told ABC News. Another young girl said: 'He was flailing his arms, like, we didn't know what was going on. We thought he was just playing around but he wasn't. Both of the boys were freaking out too. They tried getting him but he just kept slipping away.' In some cases, doctors use therapeutic hypothermia on patients who have been underwater for an extended length of time. This slows down the metabolic rate of the body and the brain - by reducing their body temperature - to save a patient's life and limit the risk of brain damage. In Cesar's case, Captain Tim Svenson of the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office believes the teen survived because the temperature of the river was cool, slowing his body temperature in a similar way to keep him alive. It's too early to say whether he will have suffered brain damage. Half an hour under: Cesar Campuzano, pictured, a freshman known at Newberg High School for his 'big smile,' spent 30 minutes underwater . River: Cesar was on the dock with six or seven other teens when some of the boys jumped into the river, pictured, to swim . Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. Svenson told the Yamhill Valley Newsregister.com that Cesar had probably been in the water two or three minutes when the 911 call came in. 'The . Newberg Fire Department Dive Rescue Team and our marine patrol were on . scene at 6:38. We were providing support, and a diver located him at . 6:47.' Svenson said Cesar was on the dock with six or seven other teens when some of the boys jumped into the river to swim. 'Cesar could not swim,' Svenson said. 'The kids he was with didn't think he would (jump in) because everyone knew he didn't know how to swim. 'A couple of kids tried to get him to . the dock, but he was in panic-mode, and started climbing all over . them. They couldn't get him to the dock, and he went under.' The water where the teen was found is 10 to 12 feet deep and the water temperature was 61 degrees, according to Svenson. On Tuesday, the school brought in extra counselors for students and staff who are trying to deal with the accident. Newberg High School Principal Dan Malone said everyone was hoping for the best. Hospital: Paramedics initiated CPR before Cesar, pictured left and right, was transported by Life Flight helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland where he remains in critical condition . Big smile: 'He's a young man with a big smile,' Newberg High School principal Dan Malone said, adding 'who hopefully still has a promising future ahead' Dock: Cesar was hanging out with a group of school-age friends at on the Willamette River at Rogers Landing, pictured . 'He's a young man with a big smile,' Malone told Koin.com, 'who hopefully still has a promising future ahead.' Svenson defended the fire department, saying they got to the site as quickly as possible. 'It took 20 minutes for the fire department to get to the station, to get a boat and the appropriate personnel — people equipped to dive,' he told ABC News. He added that the team had to wait for part-time/volunteer members to assemble, because many had just been given off of work or were called in. 'As soon as the fire department heard the call that was the quickest they could get together,' he said. Svenson said after half an hour underwater, Cesar was unresponsive but alive when teams arrived. They immediately started CPR and put Cesar in an ambulance where they hit his chest with the AED in a bid to shock him. Svenson said no foul play is suspected. He said it will take a couple of days to assess how being underwater for such a long time has affected Campuzano's brain function.
Cesar Campuzano, an Oregon freshman known for his 'big smile,' spent half an hour underwater .
after his friends tried to help him out but he slipped from their grasp .
Fire department rescue team took 20 minutes to get to the Willamette River, where Cesar and about six friends had been hanging out when the incident happened .
After he was pulled from the river, 15-year-old was helicoptered to a Portland hospital where he remains in critical condition .
Experts believe the cool river reduced his body temperature enough to slow his metabolic rate and keep him alive .
By . Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 00:51 EST, 5 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:11 EST, 5 June 2013 . Critical: Cesar Campuzano, pictured, is fighting for his life after he jumped into an Oregon river with his friends despite not knowing how to swim . A 15-year-old boy is fighting for his life after he jumped into an Oregon river with his friends, despite not knowing how to swim, and spent 30 minutes underwater. Cesar Campuzano, a freshman known at Newberg High School for his 'big smile,' disappeared below the surface after his classmates tried to help him get out but couldn't. The group of teens, who had been hanging out on the Willamette River at Rogers Landing called 911 at 6:19 p.m. on Monday to report the potential drowning. But the fire department's rescue team took almost 20 minutes to arrive and it wasn't until 6:47 p.m. that a diver located Cesar underwater and pulled him from the river. Paramedics initiated CPR before he was transported by Life Flight helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland where he remains in critical condition. 'He just went back under and we just didn't see him again,' one of the girls who witnessed the incident told ABC News. Another young girl said: 'He was flailing his arms, like, we didn't know what was going on. We thought he was just playing around but he wasn't. Both of the boys were freaking out too. They tried getting him but he just kept slipping away.' In some cases, doctors use therapeutic hypothermia on patients who have been underwater for an extended length of time. This slows down the metabolic rate of the body and the brain - by reducing their body temperature - to save a patient's life and limit the risk of brain damage. In Cesar's case, Captain Tim Svenson of the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office believes the teen survived because the temperature of the river was cool, slowing his body temperature in a similar way to keep him alive. It's too early to say whether he will have suffered brain damage. Half an hour under: Cesar Campuzano, pictured, a freshman known at Newberg High School for his 'big smile,' spent 30 minutes underwater . River: Cesar was on the dock with six or seven other teens when some of the boys jumped into the river, pictured, to swim . Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. Svenson told the Yamhill Valley Newsregister.com that Cesar had probably been in the water two or three minutes when the 911 call came in. 'The . Newberg Fire Department Dive Rescue Team and our marine patrol were on . scene at 6:38. We were providing support, and a diver located him at . 6:47.' Svenson said Cesar was on the dock with six or seven other teens when some of the boys jumped into the river to swim. 'Cesar could not swim,' Svenson said. 'The kids he was with didn't think he would (jump in) because everyone knew he didn't know how to swim. 'A couple of kids tried to get him to . the dock, but he was in panic-mode, and started climbing all over . them. They couldn't get him to the dock, and he went under.' The water where the teen was found is 10 to 12 feet deep and the water temperature was 61 degrees, according to Svenson. On Tuesday, the school brought in extra counselors for students and staff who are trying to deal with the accident. Newberg High School Principal Dan Malone said everyone was hoping for the best. Hospital: Paramedics initiated CPR before Cesar, pictured left and right, was transported by Life Flight helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland where he remains in critical condition . Big smile: 'He's a young man with a big smile,' Newberg High School principal Dan Malone said, adding 'who hopefully still has a promising future ahead' Dock: Cesar was hanging out with a group of school-age friends at on the Willamette River at Rogers Landing, pictured . 'He's a young man with a big smile,' Malone told Koin.com, 'who hopefully still has a promising future ahead.' Svenson defended the fire department, saying they got to the site as quickly as possible. 'It took 20 minutes for the fire department to get to the station, to get a boat and the appropriate personnel — people equipped to dive,' he told ABC News. He added that the team had to wait for part-time/volunteer members to assemble, because many had just been given off of work or were called in. 'As soon as the fire department heard the call that was the quickest they could get together,' he said. Svenson said after half an hour underwater, Cesar was unresponsive but alive when teams arrived. They immediately started CPR and put Cesar in an ambulance where they hit his chest with the AED in a bid to shock him. Svenson said no foul play is suspected. He said it will take a couple of days to assess how being underwater for such a long time has affected Campuzano's brain function.
spent 30 minutes underwater. Cesar Campuzano, a freshman known at Newberg High School for his his classmates tried to help him get out but hanging out on the Willamette River at Rogers department's rescue team took almost 20 minutes from the river. Paramedics initiated CPR before the metabolic rate of the body and the brain - by river was cool, slowing his body temperature in a 'big smile,' spent 30 minutes underwater . River: to get him to . the dock, but he was in Portland where he remains in critical condition . 20 minutes for the fire department to get to the together,' he said. Svenson said after half an hour underwater, Cesar was unresponsive but alive