'Mangbuseok' Dog Waited for Owner Who Fell into Icy River for 4 Days in One Spot

Taken Home but Returns to Missing Spot
Pet Dog Owner Eventually Found Dead
"Reminds Me of Hachiko" Local Netizens Praise Continue

The story of a pet dog who stayed by the spot waiting for its owner, who went missing after the ice on a frozen river broke and was eventually found dead, has been shared. On the 27th (local time), British media such as the Daily Mail reported that a man, Mr. A, who was riding a bicycle on the Upa River in Russia, fell into the river and went missing, and was found dead four days later. Earlier, Mr. A was out for a walk with his pet dog 'Belka' and was crossing the frozen river on his bicycle. However, the ice on the river at that time was not thick enough to support Mr. A's weight. Eventually, Mr. A fell 7 meters under the river water through the broken ice. Mr. B, who witnessed Mr. A falling, jumped into the river to help but was unable to save him.

During the search, Belka reportedly stayed at the spot where her owner went missing for four days. Although Mr. A's family took Belka home several times, she kept returning to the place where Mr. A fell into the water, waiting for her owner. Daily Mail

The bicycle Mr. A was riding at the time of the accident was found immediately after the incident, but it took four days to find and recover his body. The local rescue team leader who recovered Mr. A's body explained, "During the search, the rescue team used an air-cushion boat equipped with a hook device to investigate the riverbed," adding, "The search operation became more complicated due to strong currents and unstable ice crust." He also urged local residents to "follow safety rules" and "not put lives at risk." During the search, Belka reportedly sat guarding the spot where her owner went missing for four days. Although Mr. A's family took Belka home several times, she kept returning to the spot where Mr. A fell into the water, waiting for her owner.

Local netizens responded to the story with comments such as, "Sometimes dogs love people more than people do," "It's a very sad story, but Belka's loyalty is touching," and "Just by looking at Belka's behavior, you can tell how much her owner loved and cared for her." Some even compared Belka's loyal behavior of endlessly waiting for her missing owner to the famous Akita dog 'Hachi' in Japan, who waited endlessly for Professor Hidesaburo Ueno of the University of Tokyo in the past.