Lifeboat crews were stood down after a “kitesurfer in distress” turned out to be a buoy floating in the water off Aberdeen.
A member of the public spotted what they thought was a person in trouble around a mile out from the coast at around 1.10pm.
But once crews arrived they discovered it was a buoy marking the way into the city’s harbour.
They were stood down and returned to the lifeboat station just after 2pm.
Coxswain Davie Orr said: “At that distance it would have been hard for a member of the public to distinguish the buoy from a person in the water.
“They did absolutely the right thing phoning the Coastguard.”
The call will be recorded as a false alarm with good intent.