Man drowns in river while trying to rescue pet pig, deputies say

CHELAN COUNTY, Wash. — A man is dead after trying to rescue his pet pig Sunday evening from the Wenatchee River in Washington state, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said.

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Sheriff Brian Burnett said the 45-year-old Monitor man was floating down the river about 6 p.m. with his son and pet pig. They were each on individual flotation tubes, authorities said.

Witnesses told authorities that the three were between Monitor and the Sleepy Hollow Bridge when the pig fell into the river, officials said. The 45-year-old man jumped in after the pig in an attempt to rescue it but was seen struggling in the water.

The Sheriff’s Office said the man’s son yelled to others on the river and the shoreline that his father had disappeared under the water.

Witnesses reportedly located the pig and took it to the shore.

Deputies later found the missing man downstream near the Sleepy Hollow Bridge and were able to pull him to shore, officials said. CPR was performed on the man until medics arrived.

Authorities said lifesaving measures were performed about 20 minutes, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputies did not say if the man was wearing a life jacket.

The man’s identity is not being released until all family members are notified.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

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