Exciting footage of Burnham-on-Sea RNLI’s Dog rescue.
Both Burnham-on-Sea RNLI lifeboats were paged by Milford Haven Coastguards control, on Easter Monday, after a dog was reported as falling over the cliff edge of Brean Down (a continuation of the Mendip hills that extends for more than a mile into the Bridgwater Bay).
Burnham’s volunteer crews launched soon after 11.00 am, and raced to the Down. Once the lifeboats were on site, the dog (Named Issy) was spotted on a ledge in front of a cave, at the South side of the Down.
The recap, by Helmsman Matt Edwards is quoted below:-
‘Both our lifeboats had been tasked to search for a dog (Named Issy). Who had gone over the side of Brean Down.
We arrived on scene in D class lifeboat Burnham Reach, around five minutes after our Atlantic 85 lifeboat. Crews of both boats commenced a shoreline search on the South side of the Down. Issy was quickly located by the Atlantic volunteer crew (looking very much alive and well). She was sat on a ledge at the entrance to a cave.
Due to the location, the Atlantic was unable to approach, so our lifeboat was taken into the shallow waters (on a rapidly dropping tide) where a crew member was able to climb up into the cave and retrieve Issy back to the boat.
Our lifeboat was driven around to the North side of the Down, where Issy was reunited with her owner, and into the arms of the Burnham-on-Sea Coastguard Coastguard team.’
A brief by Burnham-on-Sea Coastguard quoted; ‘In this case Izzy’s owners did the right thing by calling the Coastguard and not endangering themselves, leading to a no-doubt emotional reuniting after the ordeal.
If you’re out wandering with your four legged friend near the coast or cliffs, we encourage dog owners to keep their furry friends on a lead where possible and stay well back from danger.
ENDS
Notes for Editors
Images here are screen grabs from the video footage (Credit RNLI)
File name: Dog_rescue1
The cave where Issy was discovered
File name: Dog_rescue2
A rescued Issy, being transferred in to the D class lifeboat
File names: Dog_rescue3 & Dog_rescue4
Images of the rescued Issy on the D class lifeboat
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For more information about this release please telephone Mike Lang, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07889 815860 or email [email protected],
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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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