Dog rescued by helicopter after owner survives 180-foot waterfall fall in New Zealand
South Island, New Zealand: A border collie named Molly has been rescued by helicopter after her owner survived a fall from the top of a 180-foot waterfall in New Zealand’s South Island.
Jessica Johnston was hiking and camping with Molly when she lost her footing and fell down the 18-story waterfall. Johnston survived the fall, but Molly went missing during the incident.
News of the dog’s disappearance spread quickly across New Zealand. Local firm Precision Helicopters set up a crowdfunding campaign to fund a search, which cost about $50 a minute. Within eight hours, $11,500 had been raised — enough to fund three trips.
“HUGE thank you to so many people who have donated to get a search underway for Molly the dog,” Precision Helicopters posted to its Facebook page. The company, which had previously rescued a cow from a cliff’s edge and a horse stuck in a swamp, planned to search Tuesday in fine weather using thermal imaging technology from Christchurch and a team of volunteers.
On March 30, just before 4 p.m., Precision Helicopters posted that the search was underway. A blue helicopter flew toward the waterfall where Johnston last saw her dog.
Just over an hour later, the company shared an update. A thermal imaging camera detected something wedged between a pile of rocks. As the helicopter approached, the image became clear: a soaking wet, shivering black and white dog. It was Molly.
Johnston and her dog had been exploring the region’s rainforests, glaciers, fjords, and crystal-clear lakes before the accident.
