Eureka dog drowning: 3 dead trying to save dog from surf

GlobalPost

A couple drowned and their son is presumed dead after they tried saving their dog from being swept away by the ocean in Eureka, California.

The dog was washed out to sea by 10-foot-high waves after chasing a stick into the surf at Big Lagoon over the weekend, The Associated Press reported.

More from GlobalPost: Congress returns to tackle fiscal cliff

The 16-year-old boy ran after the dog, followed by his parents, UPI reported.

Coast Guard crews later found the bodies of the parents, identified by the local coroner as Eureka residents Mary Elena Scott, 57, and Howard Gregory Kuljian, 54.

More from GlobalPost: Study: Bouncy castle injuries increasing

The Coast Guard had been searching for the teen, Gregory James Kuljian, but suspended those efforts Monday, according to the AP.

The couple's daughter called 911 to report the drownings, the Eureka Times-Standard reported.

The dog survived, eventually swimming back to shore on his own.

Sign up for our daily newsletter

Sign up for The Top of the World, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.