Couple drown after leaping into canal to save family’s dog in front of horrified son, 9, who jumped into water to help
A COUPLE have died in front of their horrified nine-year-old son after drowning in a canal trying to save their family dog.
The young boy also jumped in but was saved by heroic onlookers.
Gaston Federico Navarro Garcia and Micaela Diaz Montalvo, both 27, were at Chachingo Park, Maipu, Argentina on October 5, with their son and dog Cocco.
After their poor dog was attacked by a bee and stung it fell into the parks irrigation canal and was swept away by the dangerously fast water.
The desperate parents leapt in to save him but according to local media reports were instantly overwhelmed by the strength of the water and dragged under.
They drowned with the dog after no one was able to save them in time.
Their son, who had to watch the tragedy happen, panicked and then tried to jump in himself.
The unnamed child was grabbed by rescuers at the park after he hit the treacherous water in a lucky escape.
He is in a critical condition at an Argentinean hospital.
Friends of the family were left reeling by the horror news and took to social media to pay their respects.
One said: “It’s been a while since I saw you and found out about this.
“I can’t believe it for God’s sake. God give strength to your son and your family.”
Another good friend of Micaela wrote: “My friend, I will not understand why I lost you today if I was going to see you tomorrow. I never thought I would lose you.
“You had so much ahead of you, so many goals, plans to make, to fulfil, to live.
“My friend, I will always keep you in my thoughts.”
Earlier this year another hero tragically lost his life after trying to save his neighbours from a flood.
The father of two live streamed his final moments with his dad watching the whole thing.
Daniel Mark Miller was wading through floodwaters in Auckland, New Zealand, when he fell into an open manhole.
A British tourist also reportedly drowned in his Algarve hotel pool in Portugal.
The 27-year-old holidaymaker had a cardiac arrest in the water and couldn’t be saved in time.