12/07/2026
Southend RNLI hovercraft crew rescues distressed dog with minutes to spare.
Southend RNLI volunteer crew were tasked by HM Coastguard at 4:42 PM on Friday 10 July, following reports of people and a dog trapped in the mud on the south side of the Thames Estuary. The station’s inshore rescue hovercraft, H-004 Vera Ravine, was launched as quickly as possible.
While on route, the hovercraft crew received a critical update from HM Coastguard stating that one person was trapped deep in the mud elevating the situation due to a rising tide. However, upon arriving at the scene, HM Medway Coastguard Rescue Team confirmed that the individual was safely ashore, but their pet dog (Benji) remained in imminent danger.
Southend RNLI volunteers located the highly distressed dog struggling in the rapidly rising water, operating under time pressure the hovercraft crew successfully rescued Benji from the water wrapped him in a blanket and transported him to the safety of shore, where the owner and Kent rescue teams were waiting.
Southend RNLI volunteer hovercraft commander Dave Hopper said: ‘We take every shout very seriously, and this time we had the best outcome, getting Benji safely back to his owners. A nice day on the coast can easily turn into a pet on the loose or an owner getting into difficulty trying to help their pet.
‘Where possible check the tide times and type of ground before letting dogs off the lead, we have large areas of soft mud and sand around the estuary and creeks. If your dog gets into trouble, call 999 immediately and ask for the Coastguard.’
Southend RNLI hovercraft faced some delay during the initial launch due to exceptionally heavy traffic on Southend seafront.
Unlike standard emergency services, the charity’s lifeboat volunteers are not blue light services and must safely navigate to the station in their personal vehicles when the pager goes off. In life-or-death scenarios every second counts, the crew noted that another minute or two delay could have resulted in a tragic outcome for Benji.
The RNLI urges the public to remain mindful of lifeboat volunteers displaying a brightly coloured Lifeboat-crew-on-call message in their window screen in congestion near lifeboat stations, as delayed response times can directly impact the success of rescues at sea.
Going on a trip to the coast? Take a mobile phone in a waterproof case. If you get into trouble or see someone in trouble by the coast or at sea, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Photo Southend RNLI/ Benji with Southend RNLI volunteer Tyler.
