Specialist firefighters have staged a long and delicate rescue after a man plummeted 40 metres into Melbourne’s Yarra River.

The 35-year-old was chasing his runaway dogs when he fell, becoming trapped in the water for an hour in a frightening ordeal.

Shaken and weary when pulled to safety, the man was lucky to escape with only minor injuries as he was stretchered into an ambulance.

View photos Specialist firefighters pull the man to safety after a intricate one-hour operation. Source: 7News More

View photos The man was chasing his two runaway pet dogs when he slipped and fell. Source: 7News More

He had been walking his two dogs with his partner at the Warringal Parklands in Heidelberg just before 9pm on Monday when the dogs ran off.

He gave chase but tripped and rolled almost 30 metres down a steep embankment before plunging another 10 metes into the river.

“He ran blindly in there chasing his dogs and was unaware of the terrain,” firefighter Brett Cowcher said.

View photos He fell nearly 40 metres into the river and was left clinging to a log. Source: 7News More

His frantic partner raised the alarm and firefighters arrived within minutes.

They pulled her and the dogs to safety then worked for an hour to complete the delicate rescue operation.

“When we found him he was clinging to a log with his legs in the water, so it was quite a serious situation,” firefighter Nathaniel O’Brien revealed.

Mr Cowcher said the team set up rope lines with the high angle team to be able to haul the man up the embankment.

Specialist firefighters were forced to use chainsaws to cut through the thick bushland, creating a safe track to lead them down the dangerous embankment in the dark.

Remarkably, the man walked away with only cuts and grazes.



