Indianapolis man dies after jumping into icy pond to save a drowning dog

An Indianapolis man died after he fell through the ice while trying to save his dog from drowning.

An unidentified man died attempting to rescue his dog who had fallen through a frozen pond in Indianapolis.

The man's body was retrieved by the Indianapolis Fire Department divers who had been called by bystanders who witnessed the tragic incident.

The news were reported on Twitter by the Indianapolis Fire Department on December 10, 2018.

"Witnesses had stated the man had run onto the ice to fetch his dog, who had also run onto the ice. They said the man broke through the ice and did not resurface."

Rita Reith, Twitter/ Indianapolis Fire Department, December 10, 2018.

A RESCUE THAT TURNED INTO A TRAGEDY

Indianapolis Fire Department spokesperson, Rita Reith revealed that the incident had occurred when the man had run out onto the surface of the frozen pond to retrieve his dog.

The ice broke under his weight and plunged the man into the freezing water. According to witnesses, the man sank under the water and did not resurface.

Immersion in freezing water carries the risk of hypothermia, a medical condition in which the body's temperature plummets leading to generalized systemic shut down of the major organs, and subsequently, death.

WITNESSES ATTEMPTED A RESCUE

According to Reith, two of the bystanders attempted to help the man, but had to give up when the ice broke under them:

"Two bystanders that live in the apartment complex made an attempt to rescue the man. But they had to get out of the water after they had fallen through the ice themselves."

THE DEADLY EFFECTS OF HYPOTHERMIA

Reith explained that immersion in freezing water carries the risk of hypothermia, a medical condition in which the body's temperature plummets leading to generalized systemic shut down of the major organs, and subsequently, death.

The symptoms of hypothermia are shivering, slurred speech, weak pulse, clumsiness or lack of coordination, Confusion, and loss of consciousness.

FIRE DEPARTMENT DIVERS RETRIEVED THE BODY

The responding Fire Department deployed divers who attempted to rescue the man from the pond. Unfortunately, the victim was deceased, and the body was found 15 feet below water and 30 feet away from the shore,

The man was transported to St. Vincent Hospital and pronounced dead. The dog, a husky, swam back to shore on its own and is in good health.

Reith alerted the public that attempting rescues in icy water where hypothermia sets in in scant minutes, can claim the lives of both rescuers and the original victims.

WOMAN RESCUED DOG FROM DROWNING

Another water rescue had a happier ending. Audra Petraškienė was driving when she saw a dog shivering on the side of the road near a river.

Petraškienė stopped her car and approached the dog. She realized to her horror, that the animal had a makeshift anchor tied to its neck. Someone had attempted to drown the dog in the river.

"Apparently, somebody put a heavy metal item on his neck and dropped him in the river to drown. The dog was scared and shaking from cold as well."

Audra Petraškienė

Although the animal had managed to drag itself out of the water, it was at grave risk from hypothermia when Petraškienė found it. Petraškienė took the dog to a veterinarian, and when it was pronounced in sound health, she took it home.

The lucky animal has now found a loving home with Audra Petraškienė and her family.