Coastguard Helicopter in Flight Training Helps Save Dog From Being Swept Out to the Sea

(Illustration - Shutterstoc

A cockapoo was rescued by a coastguard helicopter in training after it was swept out to sea on the coast of Scotland’s northeastern shore.

Around 10:45 a.m. on Oct. 15, 2017, a member of the public in the village of Cummingston reported to the United Kingdom Coastguard that a dog had been swept out to sea. The HM Coastguard Rescue Team posted on their Facebook page: “an emergency call was made reporting a dog which had ran into the water and started swimming out to sea near Cumminston [sic], Moray.”

The dog was spotted struggling to keep its head out of the water in the icy North Sea on the rugged coastline of Moray Firth, Scotland.

Fortunately, the Inverness Coastguard helicopter was in flight training in the area, and it was able to locate the drowning and terrified cockapoo—which is a cross between a cocker spaniel and a poodle.

A Moray inshore lifeboat based at Findhorn was immediately sent to where the petrified dog was found struggling against the current. The crew rushed out to save the drowning dog and succeeded just in the nick of time. The pet was in the water for a total of 40 minutes.

An MCA spokesman said, as per The Scotsman: “They pulled the dog onto the boat and returned it to its owners who were waiting on shore with the Burghead coastguard rescue team.”

The Facebook post stated: “The dog was rescued, exhausted and having nearly drowned, and taken back into harbor where the crew and Coastguard Officers provided first aid until the owner could arrange to attend a local vet.”

“In a few minutes the rescue was over and the coastguard helicopter returned to its Sunday training session,” the MCA spokesperson continued.

Illustration - Shutterstock | Howard Pimborough

Maritime&Coastguard also shared the dramatic rescue on their Twitter account writing: “Exhausted and wet but our rescued cockerpoo is ok! Burghead Coastguard snaps our rescued pooch with a Moray inshore rescue boat crewman.”

The rescue efforts didn’t go unnoticed and garnered a lot of praise on Twitter.

One social media user wrote, “Agreed, Lifeboats save many, many lives every year and I’m sure families of furry kin are grateful and relieved for the help.”

Alluding to the efforts of the rescue team, one social media user commented: “That’s one soggy doggy ! Well done team. Great to know there are good people like you there for us all.”

Meanwhile, a third one chimed in: “Hero’s!!!! thank you for rescuing the little dog, all life matters.”

Illustration - Shutterstock | Duncan Cuthbertson

In another similar situation, which happened in August 2018, a blind dog “took it in his head to swim to the Isle of Wight” and was saved. The small border collie named Fly went into the water at Lepe Beach in New Forest, Hampshire. According to a report by the BBC, Fly’s owner, Mark Cowing, tried to save him by jumping into the water but wasn’t able to and thus had to be rescued by a kayaker himself.

However, a coastguard helicopter found the struggling dog 200 meters (656 ft) offshore and alerted the RNLI crew to help. Cowes RNLI lifeboat helm Mark Harke then jumped into the sea to rescue the then-12-year-old dog.

After the rescue, RNLI crew said the dog was “in grave difficulties and the lifeboat arrived just in time.”

Alluding to the rescue, Cowing added: “I was in tears when I saw him, he’s my boy. I just felt a complete and utter idiot for what I did.”