Firefighters rescue two dolphins from Thames Estuary after they got stuck in muddy waters
Two dolphins have been saved in the Thames Estuary after they got stuck in the mud.
Firefighters used a hovercraft and an inflatable sled to save the animals.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service crew and lifeguards pulled the dolphins from the sludge about 200 metres from the shore near Stanford-le-Hope in Essex.
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They lifted the dolphins on to inflatable sleds and released them back into the sea by 5.45pm on Monday.
It's not every day you come across dolphins in Essex... but firefighters rescued two from muddy water near Stanford-le-Hope this afternoon! 🐬 #NotJustFires
Full details ➡️ https://t.co/voiKoUgXN1 pic.twitter.com/sgjkvOh8UG— Essex Fire Service (@ECFRS) January 20, 2020
Water incident manager Al Green said: "It's not every day that you come across dolphins in Essex, so we wanted to do everything we could to help them on their way safely.
"With the tide not expected to come in until several hours after the dolphins became stuck, we knew how important it was that we came to their aid.
"Thankfully both animals are okay and back in the water."