Two jump into rushing water to save puppy and are swept away, California officials say

A man and woman jumped into rushing water to try to save their puppy but were swept away in the swift water, California officials said.

The couple was walking their puppy Dec. 14 on a path near a flood control channel in Mission Valley, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said.

“Their puppy jumped into the water and they went in to save it,” rescuers said on Facebook. “They were caught by the fast moving water and swept along the channel and into a chute within the channel.”

The water was moving about 15 mph, officials said.

A person spotted them in the water and called 911. The caller couldn’t describe where the two people were in the channel, so the dispatcher used a GPS system to track his call, rescuers said.

The fire department sent a rescue team to the location, which rescuers know as a common site of flooding. They arrived within 4 minutes, officials said.

The two people were pulled to safety, but the dog was never found.

Both people were taken to the hospital. Officials did not disclose their current condition.

The San Diego area was pounded with rain Dec. 14, according to Fox 5. Some parts of the region reported more than 2 inches of rain.

It was the first storm with “measurable rain” in the county since October, according to the news outlet.

This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 7:23 AM with the headline "Two jump into rushing water to save puppy and are swept away, California officials say."