A man died while attempting to rescue his dog from the ocean in the Bay Area shortly after entering the surf, officials say.
Witnesses saw a full-clothed man, believed to be middle-aged, enter the water along Ocean Beach just before 2:10 p.m., the San Francisco Fire Department said in a statement late Thursday.
After entering the surf line to save his pet, the man collapsed in the water for “unknown reasons,” officials said. On Friday, it was still not clear what caused the victim to lose his footing.
The fire department said two women who were nearby rushed into the ocean in an attempt to rescue the man, dragging him out of the water to shore to provide life-saving support before calling 911.
Ocean Rescue personnel arrived at the scene within two minutes of the dispatch call being made and immediately started CPR. Paramedics from the fire service arrived four minutes later and initiated advanced life support.
The man was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he finally succumbed to his injuries. The dog, however, managed to return to shore on its own, uninjured, officials said.
Authorities have not yet announced any plans for a formal investigation.
Ocean Beach is known for its powerful, channeled currents, even during calm weather. Treacherous rip currents and danger areas are constantly changing due to multi-directional swells creating holes in the sandbar.
Fire officials reminded beachgoers to be careful in the ocean and not to go after pets if they are in distress.
“This is an unfortunate reminder not to enter the water for humans or pets but rather, to call 911,” the fire department wrote in its statement.
Sukai Curtis-Contreras, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Fire Department, told KTVU that people can be pulled into the surf’s unique currents in even ankle-deep water.
The man’s identity has not been made public, nor have the identities of the two women who attempted to save his life.
The Independent has contacted the San Francisco Fire Department for more information.
