Southend RNLI hovercraft crew rescues distressed dog with minutes to spare

While on route, the hovercraft crew received a critical update from HM Coastguard stating that one person was trapped deep in the mud elevating the situation due to a rising tide. However, upon arriving at the scene, HM Medway Coastguard Rescue Team confirmed that the individual was safely ashore, but their pet dog (Benji) remained in imminent danger.

Southend RNLI volunteers located the highly distressed dog struggling in the rapidly rising water, operating under time pressure the hovercraft crew successfully rescued Benji from the water wrapped him in a blanket and transported him to the safety of shore, where the owner and Kent rescue teams were waiting.

Southend RNLI volunteer hovercraft commander Dave Hopper said: ‘We take every shout very seriously, and this time we had the best outcome, getting Benji safely back to his owners. A nice day on the coast can easily turn into a pet on the loose or an owner getting into difficulty trying to help their pet.

‘Where possible check the tide times and type of ground before letting dogs off the lead, we have large areas of soft mud and sand around the estuary and creeks. If your dog gets into trouble, call 999 immediately and ask for the Coastguard.’

Southend RNLI hovercraft faced some delay during the initial launch due to exceptionally heavy traffic on Southend seafront.

Unlike standard emergency services, the charity’s lifeboat volunteers are not blue light services and must safely navigate to the station in their personal vehicles when the pager goes off. In life-or-death scenarios every second counts, the crew noted that another minute or two delay could have resulted in a tragic outcome for Benji.

The RNLI urges the public to remain mindful of lifeboat volunteers displaying a brightly coloured Lifeboat-crew-on-call message in their window screen in congestion near lifeboat stations, as delayed response times can directly impact the success of rescues at sea.

Going on a trip to the coast? Take a mobile phone in a waterproof case. If you get into trouble or see someone in trouble by the coast or at sea, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

For further information please contact:

• Nigel Gilchrist. Lifeboat Press Officer at Southend-on-Sea RNLI [email protected] or 07765875300
• Julie Rainey. Regional Communications Lead. [email protected] or 07827 358256
• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

Notes to Editors:

• Southend RNLI is one of the busiest coastal stations across the UK and Republic of Ireland.
• Southend RNLI cover approximately fifteen miles of shore from Shoeburyness to Canvey and beyond.
• For more information, please visit: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/southend-on-sea-lifeboat-station

RNLI online

For more information, please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the RNLI News Centre.

Key facts about the RNLI

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 over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, 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.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Nigel Gilchrist, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI South East, [email protected]

Julie Rainey, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for London and South East England, 07827 358256, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.