By Goya Dmytryshchak
An elderly man and his dog have been rescued after their tinny started taking on water off Altona beach on Wednesday morning.
Police said 75-year-old Keilor East man Alfonse Attard got into trouble about one kilometre from shore about 6.30am.
Altona Life Saving Club volunteers saw the capsized boat and rushed to help.
Lifesaver Aaron Hunt said when his crew arrived the man had already been plucked from the water by a couple of local fishermen, Laurie Borg and son Trever.
“Essentially, we turned up to do some normal training at the beach and could see the bow of the boat bobbing around in the water,” Mr Hunt said.
“So, we put the inflatable boat out, we got out in the boat and went out there.
“Those two fishermen that took the chap back to the boat ramp, they had actually just returned at that time and just indicated that they’d pulled him out of the boat, he was OK.
“The only challenge was that there was a dog still missing.”
The crew returned to look for Jack the jack russell.
Mr Hunt said his crew pulled up alongside the upturned vessel and killed the motor of their boat to listen out for any movement from a dog.
However, no dog sounds could be heard.
Water Police were called to recover the boat and tow it back to the boat ramp.
Police said the dog was found alive and well inside the vessel, presumably surviving in an air pocket under the bow of the boat.
