Woman "Lucky To Be Alive" After Attempted Dog Rescue In Stormy Sea
12 December 2017, 11:47
Both the RNLI and coastguard said the woman was fortunate to not have been killed as she tried to save her drowning dog.
A woman risked her life by running into the freezing ocean to rescue her dog.
She was sent disappearing under water for several seconds as she struggled to rescue her pet, which was dragged out to sea on Sunday.
Powerful waves carried the woman back up the beach as the dog desperately tried to keep its head above water, moments before another wave swept it back inshore.
The fully clothed woman finally grabbed the bedraggled animal but was hit by another wave, before a bystander dragged the dog to safety.
Both the RNLI and coastguard have since said the woman was lucky to not have been killed during the daring rescue on the seafront in Brighton, East Sussex, where the temperature is just seven degrees.
Alessando Intini, 41, watched the rescue and caught it on camera.
He said: "She was very confident going into the water, but after the first wave she was in shock, I think she was very lucky to come out alive."
Local coastguard Trevor Cutler said: "Please never attempt self rescue, with how powerful the sea is at the moment, it was particularly horrendous on that day and the undercurrents will take you off your feet like you can see in that video.
"The next wave will take you out to sea, that footage is alarming and the woman is very lucky.
"The dog pretty much made its way out of the water anyway because they are more buoyant, the person was in more trouble than the dog."
Jade Cohen, of the Brighton RNLI, said: "People can be tempted to go into the sea because they view their animal as part of the family.
"But in most of the experiences we see normally the dog finds its own way out, especially in this case the dog managed to get further up the beach than it's owner.
"Obviously this woman has a love for her dog but it was a cold winter's day and the waves were very high and it would have been better if she had called the RNLI rather than risk her own life."
Watch the clip at the top of this page.