SAN DIEGO • A dog believed to have drowned after disappearing from a boat off the California coast five weeks ago was found on an island owned by the US Navy.

The dog was to be reunited with its owner yesterday, the Navy said.

Luna, a blue-eyed German shepherd-husky mix, apparently swam 3.2km to San Clemente island, off the San Diego coast, where Navy employees found it on Tuesday, Naval Base Coronado spokesman Sandy DeMunnik said. The island is a Navy training base.

"It was a long haul for a puppy across treacherous terrain," Ms DeMunnik said on Thursday. "She was a little thinner, but none the worse for wear."

Luna, who is about 18 months old, was on a fishing boat with its owner Nick Haworth when it went missing before dawn on Feb 10 while Mr Haworth and a crew member hauled in a catch, Ms DeMunnik said.

Mr Haworth searched the waters for two days with the support of Navy personnel, who also searched the island for a week, Ms DeMunnik said.

The San Diego fisherman presumed Luna was dead 10 days after it went missing, posting photos of the dog on Facebook and writing "RIP Luna".

Luna likely spent no more than a day in the water. It was found sitting along a road on the island.

"Beyond stoked to have Luna back," Mr Haworth wrote on Facebook. "I always knew she was a warrior."

REUTERS