Extraordinary footage has emerged of a brave woman was jumping into Sydney Harbour to rescue a small dog who fell into the freezing water.
The woman rushed to remove her pants and boots before plunging into the shark-infested harbour at Woolloomooloo’s Finger Wharf in the city’s east around lunchtime on Monday.
The drama unfolded less than 2km from where ex-navy clearance diver Paul de Gelder lost several limbs when he was attacked by a shark in 2009.
Colin, who was visiting Sydney from Newcastle, was enjoying lunch with his partner at the popular wharf when he spotted the woman diving into the water.
‘There were two dogs off the lead running along and one didn’t gauge the edge well and fell into the water,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘My partner saw it first – she spotted the cute dogs and freaked out when she saw one of the dogs fall in.’
The owner watched in horror as her dog began swimming around, possibly looking for a way up.
‘The dog swam away from the owner and swam towards from the navy vessels on the other side- where the navy clearance diver had his arm and leg bitten off by a shark,’ Colin said.
A woman jumped into the Sydney Harbour at Woolloomooloo to rescue a small dog that fell in the water
The woman quickly swam to where the dog was, rescued the animal and brought it to shore
‘The owner first panicked and went to where the steps are but she started filming or doing Facetime. It was weird.’
Before the shocked owner could consider what to do next, a brave woman spotted the terrified pup in the harbour and jumped in.
‘There were a few heroes lining up but the lady just stripped down and jumped in. She just dived straight in and was a fantastic swimmer,’ Colin said.
‘I’m from a swimming family and you could tell she has had swimming training or lifeguard training, by the way she cradled the dog and swam back in with it.
‘She was out fast and back in fast.
‘She was an exceptional swimmer and she kept an eye out for sharks on the way out to get the dog.’
Witnesses rushed to a nearby restaurant to fetch tablecloths for the drenched woman and dog to dry off.
The owner (pictured in red on the other side of the water) ran to her dog after the woman handed it to be dried by witnesses
‘I think a few people were queuing up and patted her on the back,’ Colin said.
‘It almost felt like a set-up, but it clearly wasn’t it. A lot of guys started coming over once the dog was rescued to see her and help cover her up.
‘I went to share the vision with her so she had it because what she did was amazing, but she had already been whisked away by all the people queuing up.’
The owner was reunited with her dog and thanked the woman for the courageous rescue.
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