Officials Release Tape of Shatner’s 911 Call

STUDIO CITY — At 10:20 p.m. Aug. 9, William Shatner, the “Star Trek” star who once hosted TV action show “Rescue 911,” made a dramatic, real-life emergency call.

Gripped with panic, Shatner pleaded for help from a 911 dispatcher minutes after discovering the body of his wife, Nerine, at the bottom of their swimming pool.

Authorities released the 911 tape Tuesday, but it shed little light on the mystery of how 40-year Nerine Kidd Shatner died. Found naked in the pool, the model and aspiring actress most likely died of an accidental drowning, according to police.

“Oh my God!” Shatner yelled to the dispatcher.

“What’s your problem there, sir?” the dispatcher replied.

Shatner: “My wife’s at the bottom of the pool!”

Dispatcher: “OK, did you get her out of the pool yet, sir?”

Shatner: “No, not yet.”

Dispatcher: “I want you to take her out of the pool right now.”

Shatner: “She’s at the very deep end!--[unintelligible].”

Dispatcher: “OK, sir. If you can, grab something and get her out of the pool. Sir. Sir. Right away, get your wife out of the pool.”

Shatner: “OK.”

Shatner later reported to police that he jumped into the pool behind his Studio City mansion and pulled his wife up on the deck but was unable to revive her.

There were no signs of trauma to her body and no evidence that her death was a suicide or foul play.

But a preliminary autopsy was inconclusive, pending the results of toxicology tests, which are due back in several weeks, said Craig Harvey of the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.

Shatner had been married to his wife less than two years.