Volunteer lifeboat crews in Peterhead have responded to reports of a child drifting out to sea on an inflatable.
Peterhead RNLI launched its all-weather lifeboat, The Misses Robertson of Kintail, at 4.45pm on Wednesday.
The crew quickly made their way north of Peterhead, towards Scotstown Head, assisted by the coastguard, air support and nearby fishing vessels.
A green inflatable was spotted in the water with no person in sight so the volunteers began a search mission under instruction from the coastguard.
It was then confirmed the child had been recovered safely to the shore where they were met by coastal teams from Peterhead and Fraserburgh.
A teenager, who went to the aid of the child in the water, started to feel unwell back at shore, and was supported by RNLI back to Peterhead and into the care of a paramedic team.
‘Easy to get swept out to sea’
Patrick Davidson, the duty coxswain, said: “Being called out to a young person reported in the water is one of the most dreaded by the crew. We can’t stress enough how dangerous inflatables are in the open sea.
“On this occasion, it was a good outcome and strong multiagency collaboration. I want to thank the member of the public, who went into the water in aid of the child, and the crew for their professionalism and excellent casualty care.
“Inflatables can be fun when used safety, but every summer they are one of the most common reasons our lifeboat crews and lifeguards are called to action. They are not designed for the beach, so it is easy to get swept out to sea.”
The RNLI has shared advice for those who are planning to bring an inflatable to the beach, saying they should make sure to visit a lifeguarded beach and ensure children are supervised.
They added that inflatables should only be used close to the shore, between the red and yellow flags, and never used in big waves or when the orange windsock is flying.
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