A dog was rescued off the Northumberland coast after being blown out to sea on an inflatable kayak. The black Alsatian, named Bruce, was reunited with its owner thanks to the quick actions of a tour boat crew.
The Rescue
Jimmy Reid and Aaron Fordy, crew members for Serenity Farne Islands Tours, responded to a Coastguard broadcast while taking visitors to Inner Farne. After landing passengers, they joined the search for Bruce. Aaron spotted the dog from the vessel's upper deck, but as the boat Serenity 4 approached, the crew feared the dog had disappeared. Aaron grabbed Bruce by his harness, but the dog slipped free and fell back into the sea. Mr Fordy reached over the side to grab Bruce, and Mr Reid secured him, working together to bring the dog safely aboard.
Quick Reactions
Skipper Jimmy Reid said: "If Aaron hadn't managed to grab the dog when it slipped back into the water, the outcome could have been very different. His quick reactions and determination were crucial in bringing the dog safely aboard." The pair wrapped the cold, exhausted, and shocked Alsatian in towels before returning to Inner Farne to collect passengers and then heading to Seahouses Harbour.
Reunion
Bruce was reunited with his owner, Arron, who thanked the Serenity crew and RNLI staff. He said: "I don't know what I would have done if he wasn't found. I couldn't bring myself to leave him, but there was nothing I could do when he got so far out. Bruce is okay, home safe and sound thanks to the Serenity Crew and everyone involved."
Coastguard Praise
Hugh Fell, duty launch authority at Seahouses RNLI, said: "We are a station of dog lovers and completely understand the owner's desire to save Bruce. However, he did exactly the right thing returning to shore and preventing himself from becoming a casualty. A big thank you to the good Samaritan vessels who joined the search."
Thankfully, orcas recently spotted in the area did not appear during the rescue.
