Tour boat crew rescues dog that drifted 3 miles out to sea off Northumberland coast

A tour boat crew raced to save a large Alsatian after the dog floated three miles out into the North Sea off Northumberland last Sunday. The dramatic rescue ended with the dog, named Bruce, wrapped in towels and reunited with his owner.

Captain Jimmy Reid of Serenity Farne Islands Boat Tours was returning from a trip to the Farne Islands when a radio alert came through about a dog swept out to sea. Bruce had been playing in the waves when a sudden gust of wind dragged his inflatable kayak away from shore, with Bruce still aboard.

As tension mounted, the crew scanned the horizon and spotted the small kayak drifting far offshore. Reid said he feared the worst, worrying Bruce might have fallen into the water and been lost.The two-man crew reached the boat and pulled Bruce on board. The Alsatian was hypothermic but alive. They wrapped him in towels to warm him up during the sail back to shore.

Bruce’s owner, who had tried swimming after the kayak before turning back for safety, was waiting on the coast. The reunion brought relief to everyone involved. Reid later said he was “ecstatic” when he realized Bruce was safe.

Coastguard teams praised the crew for acting quickly. Officials also reminded dog owners to keep pets on leashes near water and to use secure, non-inflatable boats when swimming with them.