Dog saved by lifeboat crew after 200ft cliff plunge

A pet dog has been saved after it plunged 200ft down a cliff.

The dramatic rescue took place on Sunday when Luca, a pointer, fell to the bottom of Howth Head, north Co Dublin.

Lifeboat crews sailed to the scene and scaled rocks to reach the dog.

Dave Howard, Howth RNLI’s helm, said Luca was a very lucky animal. “It was a 200ft drop and we didn’t expect to have such a happy outcome to this rescue,” he said.

“Needless to say the owners were delighted to have Luca, who was frightened and shivering but without harm, safely returned to them.”

The alarm was raised at approximately 4.30pm by a member of the public who was walking along the cliff path at Howth Head and noticed the dog’s distressed owners.

Mr Howard, with volunteer crew members Lorcan Dignam and Darryl Reamsbottom, launched within minutes and found Luca, who had fallen from the highest point of the cliff at the nose of Howth.

The rescue lasted about 30 minutes, with Luca carried down the rocky boulders to the boat.

The RNLI said that while returning to the lifeboat station, the crew came across a broken-down jet-ski and its owner, which were also brought back to the harbour.