Three men in inflatable boat rescued off the coast of Ardrossan
The local Coastguard team is pleading with locals not to take inflatables to the sea
Three men have been rescued near the coast of Ardrossan after their inflatable toy boat was blown over a mile off shore.
The Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team was called out at around 10:30am on Monday after a 999 call from someone on a yacht who had come across the men and helped them on board.
They were brought to shore, where two of the men were given medical attention. One had suffered an arm injury and another was suffering from the effects of the cold having been in the water for some time, he’d tried to swim back ashore pulling the inflatable toy boat and its two occupants with him.
It’s lead to fresh calls from the team not to take inflatable toys out to the sea.
Kevin Paterson, Station Officer of the Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team, said: “Today's callout highlights the increasing trend of people being blown out to sea on inflatable toys or boats in an off shore wind.
“This was an extremely lucky escape once again, as it was only by chance a passing yacht spotted the inflatable toy boat and were quickly able to render assistance and contact the Coastguard. If the yacht hadn't been passing the outcome would likely have been far worse.
“The persons involved were completely ill equipped for setting out to sea on any sort of vessel with inadequate clothing, no lifejackets or buoyancy aids and no means of calling for help.
“Over the past two weeks we have been involved in a number of rescues involving inflatable toys or boats being used at the coast where people have had a lucky escape - it's only a matter of time until this luck runs out.
“We are pleading with the public to never use these inflatable toys or boats at the coast - they are designed for swimming pools and not the sea.
“We extend our grateful thanks to the yacht crew for their quick thinking and assistance provided which had a significant positive impact on the overall outcome of the incident."