A dog was reported missing two miles off San Clement Island off the coast of San Diego, California. After falling from a fishing boat, the one-and-a-half-year-old German shepherd was assumed dead in the Pacific Ocean. Surprisingly, she was discovered five weeks later alive and well!
Luna was aboard a commercial fishing boat with her owner, Nick Haworth, when she fell overboard. The owner reported her missing on February 10th, and the dog was assumed missing after days of searching. Luna’s owner combed the waters for two days and Navy personnel searched the island for a week without finding her.
“He argued that because she was such a great swimmer, he was 90% confident she swam it to land,” said Sandy DeMunnik, public affairs officer for Naval Base Coronado. “They were dragging in their (lobster) traps, and Luna was there one minute and gone the next.” They searched the area for her. They couldn’t see her because they couldn’t see her. She’s black, and the ocean was dark.”
Luna was unexpectedly discovered after more than a month on San Clemente Island, a Navy-owned training site 70 miles off the coast of San Diego. Domestic animals are not permitted on the island for environmental reasons, according to the Associated Press. Luna stepped in as crew workers pulled up, unlocked the vehicle door, and whistled, according to the Tribune.
DeMunnik told ABC News, “They noticed Luna simply sitting on the side of the road wagging her tail.” “Keep in mind that the island has no domesticated animals, therefore it was a spectacular sight.”
The dog is said to have swum ashore and survived on the island by eating mice. A wildlife scientist from the San Diego Zoo inspected her and stated she was “totally healthy save for being a touch undernourished.” The biologist then informed Haworth of some surprising news. DeMunnik described him as “overwhelmed.” “He was overjoyed, appreciative, and overjoyed.”
In the video below, you can learn more about this remarkable rescue!