March 17 (Reuters) – A canine believed to have drowned after disappearing from a fishing boat off the California coast 5 weeks in the past was discovered on an island owned by the U.S. Navy and will likely be reunited together with her proprietor on Thursday night, the Navy stated.

Luna, a blue-eyed German shepherd-husky combine, apparently swam 2 miles (3.2 km) to San Clemente Island, off the San Diego coast, the place Navy workers discovered her on Tuesday, Naval Base Coronado spokeswoman Sandy DeMunnik stated. The island is a Navy coaching base.

“It was a long haul for a puppy across treacherous terrain,” DeMunnik stated on Thursday. “She was a little thinner, but none the worse for wear.”

Luna, who’s about 18-months previous, was on a fishing boat together with her proprietor Nick Haworth when she went lacking earlier than daybreak on Feb. 10 whereas Haworth and a crew member hauled in a catch, DeMunnik stated.

Haworth searched the waters for 2 days backed by Navy personnel, who additionally searched the island for per week, DeMunnik stated.

The San Diego fisherman presumed Luna was lifeless 10 days after she went lacking, posting images of the canine on Facebook and writing “RIP Luna.”

Luna probably spent not more than a day within the water. She was discovered sitting alongside a street on the island.

“Beyond stoked to have Luna back,” Haworth wrote on Facebook. “I always knew she was a warrior.” (Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Sharon Bernstein, Toni Reinhold)

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