Missing dog rescued a mile out to sea by RNLI

Storm, the German Shepherd, had been missing for five days after chasing a vandal from his owner's home.

A missing dog was rescued by RNLI volunteers yesterday morning after it chased seagulls into the sea and swam a mile off shore from Hastings in East Sussex.

Dover Coastguard called in RNLI volunteers from Hastings lifeboat station after the dog had disappeared from view in the waves.

The lifeboat was launched within a few minutes and the crew eventually found the animal nearly one mile off-shore.

RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew members with rescued dog ‘Storm’

The RNLI reported that they managed to get the wet, cold and exhausted dog on board the boat and quickly back to shore. Once back at the boathouse, the dog, named Storm, was given water and wrapped in blankets. He has since been reunited with his owners, taken a trip to the vet and is said to be recovering well from the ordeal.

Hastings lifeboat Coxswain, Steve Warne said. ‘Over the last two weeks the crew at the lifeboat station have just completed an intensive first aid course. The course included dealing with near-drowning casualties who have just been plucked from the water – little did we think that our first chance to put this knowledge into practice would be with a dog. The RNLI exists to saves lives at sea — and today that included Storm!’

Seven-year-old Storm reportedly escaped when a vandal kicked his owner’s fence in. The dog was next seen five days later on the seashore chasing seagulls. Shortly after, Storm was reportedly seen swimming after one of the birds.

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