Good Samaritan, Dog Rescued From Cliff In Weehawken

WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A man had to be rescued after he tried to save a dog that fell hundreds of feet down a cliff along the Hudson River in New Jersey.

It happened around 10 p.m. Tuesday in Weehawken.

1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck reports

Witnesses say the dog's owner was walking the pup along Boulevard East when the dog somehow slipped through a metal fence and tumbled down a 200-foot embankment.

The dog's owner was frantic and helpless until a Good Samaritan passing by jumped down the steep cliff to rescue the dog, but then he too became trapped.

It took a daring and high angle rescue by police and fire crews to pull them both to safety.

"It is a very steep and sheer cliff. Many of the hazards are obscured by the brush," said North Hudson Fire Department's Deputy Chief Michael Cranwell. "So we illuminated the area, we have generators and lighting equipment and we have a dedicated heavy rescue unit with specialized equipment, harnesses, ropes, specifically for this application."

Witnesses applauded the Good Samaritan for taking action.

"I think that was great," said witness Dinahlee Espino. "There's not a lot of people like that around the world and to find someone like that, that's what the world should be like."

"You would think it would be safe because children are here, and if a dog can fall through, a child can go through and that's just scary," said witness Alejandra Cosme.

The young man and the dog suffered only cuts and bruises and the dog was reunited with its owner.

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