A 59-year-old man was rescued by a pair of rescue dogs after being dragged approximately 100 meters from shore by a strong current. The incident occurred around 11:30 AM in the waters between the public beach and the Stella Marina resort in Pescia Romana, in the province of Viterbo.
Realizing he could not make it back to safety on his own in the choppy sea, the vacationer from Cavenago Brianza raised his hand to call for help. Two canine rescue units from the Italian School of Rescue Dogs (SICS), a Labrador named Panna and a Golden Retriever named Maia, were stationed on the public beach—a service provided by the Municipality of Montalto di Castro. The dogs immediately leapt into the waves, reached the struggling man, and secured him to their floating harnesses.
Prior to the intervention, the handlers alerted the nearby Stella Marina resort with the emergency procedure of three whistles. This prompted lifeguards Carlo Borsi and Emanuel Fabi to join the effort. All four worked together for several strenuous minutes to successfully bring the man back to shore. The details of the rescue were confirmed in a statement by SICS.