Video: Dog walker rescued by RNLI and helicopter airlift mission after falling into the sea

Footage captured by an onlooker shows the daring rescue mission in rough sea as an RNLI lifeboat first pulls him from the sea before he's winched up to a helicopter to safety. The man had been walking along the beach, at Cottys Point in Cornwall, when he was cut off by the tide at around 4:30pm on Wednesday (March 27).

Tragically, the charity was unable to save his dog, which had been washed away. Onlooker Steve Finnay, 49, who filmed the rescue, said: "We were in Perranporth for my birthday. We went to the cliff top for a better view of the beach [when] a helicopter [appeared] close to Perran Sands, and quickly realised someone might be in trouble."

Mr Finnay described the rescue mission as 'very dramatic', adding that although the dog couldn't be saved the RNLI 'made a very brave attempt' to reach him. He added: “Another family said they heard screams, but we couldn’t hear anything over the crashing waves and strong winds.” St Agnes Coastguard Search & Rescue Team says “every effort was made” to retrieve the dog - but were unable to do so.