JORDAN North was rescued from the River Thames last night after trying to save a drowning dog.
The radio star, 34, was on the run when he saw the Labrador struggling in the water and decided to come to his aid – but began to panic himself.
4
Jordan North was rescued from the Thames last nightCredit: RNLI
4
A crew member helped Jordan to safety after he ran aground while rescuing a dogCredit: RNLI
4
Jordan spoke about the incident on radio todayCredit: PA
A member of the public raised the alarm when he was spotted struggling in the water.
Fortunately, the lifeboat crew were on a drill and arrived at the location, near Hammersmith Bridge, just three minutes later.
Former I’m A Celebrity contestant Jordan was found sitting on a nearby lift with his dog, as members of the public raised telephone beacons to help the RNLI locate him.
Speaking about the terrifying incident, Jordan told Capital Breakfast: “A big thank you and a big shout out to RNLI Chiswick who came to my rescue as I was starting to panic a bit.
Read more about Jordan North
“I was also a little nervous because I thought my legs would fall off, I couldn’t last much longer, so they arrived on time.
“The real heroes here are the RNLI who came out and got me, put a blanket around me. They are the heroes.”
Thames Commander Gavin Simmons, along with crew Sid Blake, Tom Coe and Cameron Crawley were the ones who rescued Jordan and the dog, which belonged to a member of the public, to safety.
Gavin said: “We are on call to help anyone in trouble on the water 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, even our beloved pets!
“While we would always encourage people to call 999 and ask for the coastguard rather than go into the water themselves, we are delighted that in this case we were able to help Jordan and the dog get back to dry land safely.”
Jordan’s rescue comes just two weeks after a fire service spokesman warned members of the public not to rescue animals from the water.
Watch the shock moment Josie Gibson storms out of radio interview leaving Jordan North ‘having a panic attack’
This was followed by the rescue of a woman in Norwich who had to be pulled from the river after she went in after her dog, who died at the scene.
A spokesman told the BBC: “We always ask people to call for help if life is in danger and not to go into the water after other people or animals.
“We appreciate how much people love their animals as part of the family, but looking for them puts their own lives in danger.
“In this case, we managed to save the owner of the dog and we wish her a speedy recovery.
“Our thoughts are with her on the loss of her dog.”
It’s guidance echoed by the RNLI, which states on its website that dogs should be kept on leads near rivers and that emergency services should be alerted if they get into trouble.
There are many ways to support the RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crews this Christmas. To learn more, please visit RNLI.org/WinterAppeal
4
Jordan admitted that he began to panic in the moments before the rescueCredit: Getty
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education