Man celebrates Easter Sunday by rescuing children from frigid Alberta river

EDMONTON – A Good Samaritan and his dog in Edmonton are being credited with saving two little girls from drowning in the North Saskatchewan River.

The girls, aged six and nine, were playing Sunday on ice near a north-end foot bridge when they fell into the bone-chilling water.

Rescue authorities say a man who was close by heard their screams for help and pulled one child to safety, then raced with his lab-husky cross named Rocky to find the second youngster.

Rescue spokesman Michael Tucker says the man fell through the ice at one point and had to be rescued by his dog.

Tucker says Rocky later swam to the second child as she was drifting downstream and pulled her to shore while she clung to his leash.

He says the second child was hypothermic when a rescue boat took her to get treatment from waiting paramedics, but both were fine after being checked at hospital. (CHED)