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Dog rescued by coastguard after three-hour ‘ordeal’ at sea

The lifeboat rescue team was called out twice to rescue the springer spaniel

Lamiat Sabin
Monday 19 July 2021 10:01 BST
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Lifeboat rescue team rescues dog after three-hour 'ordeal' at sea

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A dog had spent three hours lost at sea before a kayaker alerted rescue teams to his whereabouts at the base of cliffs.

Ollie, a springer spaniel, had failed to return to shore during a walk at Newton Beach, in Wales, and continued to swim out to sea. His owner contacted the UK Coastguard to get help after becoming more worried.

At just past 8am on Saturday morning, the UK Coastguard alerted the Porthcawl RNLI volunteer crew to rescue Ollie.

In a D Class lifeboat, the crew did a “thorough” and extensive search around the place in which Ollie was last seen – an area with “very calm seas and excellent visibility,” the Porthcawl RNLI said.

But, after one hour, they could not find Ollie. The lifeboat charity said there were “high hopes the dog would be found” and that it was assumed Ollie had made it to shore.

The team was alerted again by UK Coastguard at 11.30am to redeploy the lifeboat after Ollie was reported by a kayaker at the base of cliffs in Southerndown – about three miles away from where Ollie’s owner last saw him.

A crew member is heard in footage of the rescue saying into a walkie-talkie that Ollie was found, seemed “to be in very good condition”, and that they had to give him water to drink as he was “very thirsty” after his ordeal.

The crew member said to Ollie, who was enjoying the view of the sea from the lifeboat: “What a swimmer you are, eh!”

Chris Kitney giving a thirsty Ollie more water to drink
Chris Kitney giving a thirsty Ollie more water to drink (Porthcawl RNLI)

Porthcawl RNLI helm Simon Emms said: “We made best speed to the location and we were delighted to find Ollie safe and well having been spotted and assisted by a kayaker who had been in the area. Ollie was then recovered onto the lifeboat for the journey back to Porthcawl.

“It’s incredible that Ollie had spent over three hours at sea when he was found and was around three miles from where he’d first gone into the water. He seemed very happy to see us and enjoyed his ride on the lifeboat back to Porthcawl.

“The owner did the right thing by contacting the Coastguard. If your dog gets into difficulty in the water go to a place it can get to safely and call it – they’ll probably get out by themselves.

“Never enter the water after your dog as you could get yourself into trouble too. Dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”

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