North-east emergency workers were kept busy on Scotland’s hottest day of the year– while members of the public also came to the rescue.
Within half an hour yesterday afternoon, the coastguard was alerted to three separate incidents across the region.
The most dramatic of those calls was in Pennan Bay as the alarm was raised for two children floating out to sea in an inflatable.
Fraserburgh’s RNLI lifeboat was rushed to the picturesque village at around 3.55pm.
But before the crew and their colleagues from Fraserburgh and Banff coastguard teams could act, a passing kayaker saved the day.
Having passed the adrift inflatable, they helped the children back to the shore safely.
The first 999 call was made in Hopeman at around 3.30pm after a bystander thought they had seen a paddleboarder in difficulty.
Burghead’s coastguard team and Buckie RNLI lifeboat was paged to the Moray harbour but found no one in trouble in the water.
“The paddleboarder was subsequently located safe and well on land and was confirmed to not have been in difficulty,” a spokeswoman said.
Rescue crews from Aberdeen and Stonehaven were also called into action yesterday afternoon.
A member of the public was concerned about a small boat seen close to rocks off the north coast of Portlethen.
Stonehaven’s lifeboat pulled alongside the vessel and found the only person on board was safe.
The boat was towed clear of the rocks and then, undamaged, was left to carry on its journey.
