The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has defended the decision to call off the search for two missing fishermen a few hours before they were found.
The search for Jim Reid and David Irvine, who spent two nights lost at sea when their compass took them in the wrong direction, spanned more than 2,000 square miles.
The search for the men extended 30 miles out to sea but the men were found yesterday morning almost 50 miles from the coast.
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman said: “We carried out an extensive air, sea and land search and are confident that we did all we could to try and find the two men.
“We used numerous assets – including two search and rescue helicopters, a police helicopter, a surveillance aircraft, lifeboats, coastguard rescue teams and local vessels – during the search.
“Based on all the information we had about this small open boat – such as the likely amount of fuel and the crew rarely going far from shore – coastguards calculated an appropriate search area.
“We now know the men had a large supply of fuel, became lost in fog, and carried on heading in the wrong direction away from the land.”
And Mr Reid said he did not blame the Coastguard for calling off the search on Wednesday night.
“Once you are 48 hours at sea with no sign of you, you can’t expect any different,” he said.
Hopes of finding the men alive and well faded after a second day of searching found no trace of them.
Fisheries Secretary Richard Lochhead said the incident served as a reminder of the dangers of the sea.
He said: “It is great news that the two missing fishermen have been found safe and well, their family and friends will be overjoyed and relieved to have them back home.
“It’s times like these that really brings home how dangerous a job our fishermen do, day after day, to provide fresh fish for us all to enjoy and I am delighted that this incident has had a happy ending.”