Essex fire service rescue stranded dolphins stuck in the mud

  • Credit: RNLI

Two dolphins have been rescued after becoming stuck in mud in the Thames Estuary.

They were spotted stranded 200 metres off the coast of Stanford-le-Hope at 5.45pm on Monday, 20 January.

It took two hours for firefighters, alongside the RNLI and Coastguard, to move the animals back to deep water using a hovercraft and inflatable sled.

The dolphins were pulled to deeper waters using an inflatable sled Credit: Essex Fire and Rescue

"We thought once we got them to the water that would be it, but it took a lot longer than anticipated," said RNLI volunteer hovercraft pilot David Cartwright.

"They were in the water for around an hour and a half and we were about to give up when one of them perked up and swam off and then the next one followed. Hopefully they will be alright".

"It was a real multi-agency operation, at one point we had around 15 people on and around the hovercraft trying to save the animals".

The dolphins were unharmed by the operation, according to the fire service.

The firefighters worked with the RNLI and the Coastguard to rescue the dolphins Credit: Essex Fire and Rescue