Coast Guard crash saves dog's life

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Coast Guard crash saves dog's life

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Jon Mills


Created: 3/10/2006 2:34:26 PM
Updated: 3/10/2006 7:36:09 PM


Grand Haven - It's a walk Robert Chavez and his dog jazzy have made before - strolling Grand Haven's beach stopping at the south pier.
But on Tuesday, Jazzy got a little too close to the edge.

She slid off the pier and into the freezing water. Chavez considered entering the water to go after his dog, but knew he couldn't get out.

"They are all iced over, there is no where for me to get down there," said Chavez.

So he called 911, Chevez, police, and the Coast Guard tried to relocate Jazzy, but she could not be found.

“I left that day thinking she was not going to be here anymore," said Chavez.

Jazzy most likely wouldn't have made it, if it weren't for the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Mackinaw. In December, the ship slammed into this south break wall ripping a hole in the steel structure. That hole was enough space for jazzy to crawl into.

A day later, people walking heard her barks, a public safety officer responded, removed this cover, and pulled jazzy to safety. It took a huge mistake that cost a Coast Guard Capitan his job, to save Jazzy's life.


http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article ... ryid=51465

There's a video of the cutter hitting the wall in the link.