This is the dramatic moment an elephant swam across the heavily flooded River Ganga near Raghopur in eastern India carrying its mahout on its back.

Eyewitnesses said the duo came close to drowning a few times on July 12 and almost collided with a boat before managing to cross the river safely.

The mahout, Dasai Das, was trying to take his animal "Mahasundara" from Rustampur Ghat to Jethuli Ghat navigating a distance of one kilometre across the river.

Das underestimated the force of the current and as the elephant stepped into the river it was swept away by the powerful current along with its master

A local resident, Ranjan Kumar Singh, who was crossing the river on a boat, was stunned to see the duo struggling to stay afloat and pulled out his camera to film the unusual incident.

“The animal was exhausted, gasping for breath, and came very close to the boat. But it managed to hold its breath and swim to the shore. Elephants are excellent swimmers, but the current was too strong for this one. Both are lucky to be alive,” said Singh.

The mahout, and the animal cross the river regularly to visit the elephant's owner, Vilas Rai, who lives near Rustampur Ghat.

This was the stunning moment an elephant swam across the heavily flooded River Ganga near Raghopur in eastern India carrying its mahout on its back.

Eyewitnesses said the duo came close to drowning a few times and almost collided with a boat before managing to cross the river safely.

The mahout, Dasai Das, was trying to take his animal named, Mahasundara, from Rustampur Ghat to Jethuli Ghat on July 12 navigating a distance of one km across the river.

Due to heavy rains the river was in spate and Das underestimated the force of the current. As the elephant stepped into the river it was swept away by the powerful current along with its master

A local resident, Ranjan Kumar Singh, who was crossing the river on a boat, was stunned to see the duo struggling to stay afloat and pulled out his camera to film the unusual incident.

He said: “The animal was exhausted, gasping for breath, and came very close to the boat. But it managed to hold its breath and swim to the shore. Elephants are excellent swimmers, but the current was too strong for this one. Both are lucky to be alive.”

The mahout, and the animal cross the river regularly to visit the animal’s owner, Vilas Rai, who lives near Rustampur Ghat.