Loyal dog stayed by the side of his injured owner when they were cut off by the tide on Cornish beach walk – before helicopter rescuers winched the man to safety but left the heroic pet behind to die
A devoted dog paid the ultimate price when he clung to his injured owner’s side on a beach after being trapped by the rising tide.
Dramatic footage shows the rescue effort to save the man and his dog after they became stranded on the rocks at Perranporth Beach, Cornwall.
Crews from St Agnes Coastguards, Newquay Coastguard Search and Rescue Team, St Agnes RNLI Lifeboat and rescue helicopter 924 were dispatched after the man was cut off by the tide on Wednesday afternoon.
Lifeboat members arrived on scene just as the victim – believed to have fallen from the coastal path above the cliffs – was being lifted into the search and rescue helicopter.
After the man was airlifted, crew members worked together to find his dog.
Dramatic footage shows the man being pulled to safety after he became stuck on the beach at Perranporth, Cornwall. He had apparently fallen from the coastal path
Crews from St Agnes Coastguards, Newquay Coastguard Search and Rescue Team, St Agnes RNLI Lifeboat and rescue helicopter 924 were dispatched to rescue the man.
Edge Safety Officers were deployed to search the cliffs and rocks below for the dog.
After some time, the dog was spotted, but unfortunately crew members were unable to save it ‘after every effort had been made’ to do so.
A St Agnes Coastguard spokesperson said: ‘The primary role of the St Agnes Coastguard is to save lives and carry out rescue operations.
‘It is always a challenge when our efforts do not result in the results we strive for.
“We are deeply saddened by the outcome of this particular mission.
“We extend our condolences to the person who lost their beloved dog in this incident.”
Eyewitness Bruce Hargrave said the man walking his dog had fallen from the coastal path above Perranporth Beach.
He said some passing holidaymakers from Perran Sands Holiday Park heard his cries for help and called 999.
After the Coastguard helicopter and RNLI Inshore rescue boat quickly arrived on scene, the injured man was lifted into the helicopter and taken to hospital.
The search for his dog continued.
Mr Hargrave said: ‘I had been on the cliffs most of the afternoon photographing skylarks when I heard the helicopter.
Mobile phone footage shows how precarious the man’s position was after he was airlifted above the raging tides. Presumably he fell on the rocks
‘At first I thought it was a drill, but when I saw a young girl crying and talking to her mother, I quickly realized it was a real incident.
‘The tide came in quickly and the beach below the cliffs was flooded.
‘The man had fallen on the rocks and hurt his leg.
“His dog had stayed by his side.”
‘There was a large sea with quite large waves coming in and crashing on the rocks, but luckily a family of holidaymakers on the coastal path had heard his cries for help and called the coastguard.
‘They were all quite emotional.
“As I left the scene, Coast Guard personnel were on the cliffs setting up ropes so they could safely descend to the rocks to continue the search for the man’s dog.”