10/10/2026
A young Great Pyrenees named Morocho survived being swept away by the Mapocho River after spending hours trapped above the rushing water in Santiago, Chile.
The incident happened on Oct. 6, 2026, after heavy rains caused the river to rise.
Morocho was only 2 years old, a community Great Pyrenees who lived in the area and was already vaccinated, neutered, and registered with a microchip.
That morning, the rising water left him stranded on a concrete structure in the middle of the river.
Around him, the muddy current kept rushing past.
Firefighters, municipal workers, and a specialized police rescue team arrived to help. People watched from nearby, while television cameras followed the operation live.
But reaching Morocho was difficult.
He was frightened, and when people approached, he moved away. Even a volunteer who knew him struggled to get close without sending him farther toward danger.
The rescuers had to move carefully. One frightened step could send the large, fluffy Great Pyrenees into the water.
For hours, they worked to bring him to safety.
Then Morocho fell into the river.
The current swept him downstream as the people following his rescue watched him struggle through the rushing water.
But Morocho managed to stay afloat.
He reached the riverbank and climbed out under his own power. Once he was within reach, people secured him and brought him to safety.
After hours surrounded by water, he was finally on solid ground.
Morocho was taken to Santiago’s municipal veterinary clinic at Parque O’Higgins. He had minor injuries and was exhausted, initially refusing food after everything he had been through.
By the following day, his veterinarian confirmed that he was in good health.
His longtime companion, Lulú, had also been rescued from the river, lifted to safety earlier using a harness. The two had grown up together, and officials hoped to find a family willing to adopt them both.
Morocho had survived the current.
Now he needed somewhere safe to go.
A home where this gentle Great Pyrenees could rest beside the companion he grew up with, and where the next heavy rain would find them both indoors.
