Rescuers Save Naked Man, Dog From Green River Island

Rescuers today saved a naked man and his dog off of an island in the Green River.

They were in a small, inflatable raft Tuesday night when they fell into the river. They ended up on a small island in the middle of the river and were wet and cold. The man took off his wet clothes to avoid hypothermia and spent the night naked waiting for help, a news release says.

A couple of construction workers heard the man yelling this morning but could not get close enough to communicate to him. The construction workers then asked a fisherman (with waders) to get closer to the man to see if he needed help. They called 9-1-1 once they learned he needed rescued.Man Rescued Off Green River After Spending The Night Naked On An Island

King County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit and Mountain View Fire & Rescue's Swiftwater Rescue Team used an inflatable rescue board to wade across the river to the man and his dog. They helped the man off the island within a few minutes, and he was transported to the hospital to treat his injuries and try to warm him up.

The man reportedly left his house Tuesday night to take his dachshund mix, named Ozzy, on a walk but never returned home. His wife called police to report the 51-year-old man missing at around 2 a.m. today. .

Auburn police searched for the man near his house but were not able to find him. He was rescued about five hours later.

"We suggest that people always wear life jackets anytime they are on the water. Be sure to communicate with someone whenever you are going to be near the water so they know your location, contact information and when you expect to be home," Tim Perciful of fire and rescue says in the news release.