We hear all the time about how dangerous riptides and strong ocean currents can be.

Especially in the summer when people are headed to the beach, we’re told to brush up on the dangers and be alert. People do still get pulled out to sea all the time, however, and sometimes need to be rescued. The entire beach pitched in to save a family caught in a riptide recently. If their fellow beachgoers hadn’t done something to help, they could have drowned.

The fact is that people aren’t the only animals that can be swept up in these currents. In Sri Lanka, elephants often hang out near the beach, and when a Navy warship was out on patrol, they saw a ton of splashing in the water. What followed was a dramatic 12-hour rescue of a scared and exhausted pachyderm.

Watch as they help the elephant, who struggles to stay afloat, by guiding it to shore using ropes and people in the water.

Wow! I’m so glad they spotted the poor animal and that they were able to help. Share this to remind the people in your life that even elephants can’t avoid the strongest ocean currents, so vigilance in the water is key.