A major search operation was launched last night for a person who fell into the River Ness.
The Inverness Coastguard Rescue 951 helicopter was dispatched alongside the North Kessock Lifeboat crew and local coastguard teams following a 999 call to police around 5.30pm.
The man was last seen in the water underneath Friars’ Bridge.
At the scene last night, the helicopter could be seen searching from the harbour up the Gilbert Street side of the river to Friars’ Bridge, before turning around and moving back down the opposite side.
The helicopter refuelled after an hour and returned to search the Beauly and Inverness Firths.
At the Inverness Marina, two police vans and an ambulance were parked alongside a coastguard vehicle.
At the old Inverness harbour area by Shore Street, several walkers and residents had gathered to help look and listen for any signs or sounds in the water.
Inverness Central councillor Donnie Kerr, who lives in the Gilbert Street area, described hearing the noise of the helicopter overhead and seeing several police officers and coastguard volunteers searching the river’s edges.
He added: “The helicopter was searching from the Friars’ Bridge down towards the harbour.
“If anyone is in that water at this time of year then they will need to find him quickly. It’s extremely cold in there.
“We have had this happen before but I have not seen a helicopter searching the river for a while now, maybe a couple of years.
“Hopefully they will get him out of the river and he will be OK.”
Last night, a police spokeswoman said: “Police Scotland can confirm that officers are currently at the scene of River Ness in Inverness.
“As well as Police Scotland officers, members of local Coastguard crew came on site to assist with the search.”