COASTGUARDS RESCUE ONE MAN AND HIS DOG

At  9pm on Tuesday the 19th October the Corpach Coastguard Rescue team were called out by Clyde Coastguard following a call made to them from Fort William Police reporting a voice or voices coming from the sea somewhere along the Caol shoreline.


 When the Coastguard arrived the Police on scene said they could hear calls for help. Coastguard team members Ewen Leslie, Dawna Connolly and Jason Thurston entered the water wearing dry suits and lifejackets and with high powered torches located a person and assisted the male to shore. He was very hypothermic and was transferred immediately to the Belford Hospital. He was able to report that whilst out in his canoe with his dog he had capsized and had been in the water for over an hour shouting for help.

The Coastguard team remained on scene and carried out a search of the immediate area for the dog and just as they were about to give up heard a dog barking in the distance. The dog, a lurcher called Finnigan, had swam to a nearby Island. The Coastguard team were able to access the Island and rescued the dog which was then reunited with the man’s wife non the worse for his adventure.

Phil Wren, Fort William Sector Manager said:

The man was extremely lucky that a visitor to the area had heard cries for help and rang the Police. The water temperature is only about 5 degrees and the air temperature was close to zero. Luckily he was wearing a lifejacket but the clothing he was wearing was inadequate for immersion in water.
 
 
Issued by fred caygill on 20/10/2010 14:24:17
 
 
For further information please contact Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office on (023) 8032 9401 Press releases and further information about the agency is available on the web at www.mcga.gov.uk

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