The emergency services were called to a stretch of the River Spey in Moray yesterday amid reports that a body was spotted on an island.
It is understood that a body, believed to be female, was discovered at about 2pm on a part of the expanse beside Garmouth and Kingston Golf Club.
The police, Coastguard and RNLI crews all attended and maintained a presence there well into the evening.
Two fire crews also attended, from Elgin and Fochabers, along with two fire service water teams – from Elgin and Inverness.
A spokesman for the service said that personnel remained at the scene until 7pm.
Coastguard crews from Portsoy, Buckie and Burghhead were also scrambled and the Buckie lifeboat was launched.
A spokeswoman for the RNLI confirmed that the crew was stood down after 4pm.
A police spokeswoman initially said that officers were called to the scene “following a reported sighting of a possible body within the water” but the force was unable to provide any further update.
A spokeswoman for the Coastguard service said: “The initial call came in at 2pm, with crews from Portsoy, Buckie and Burghead being sent to the scene.
“This was a police-led inquiry and we were assisting them. Our resources were all released by 7pm.”
The Spey is the fastest-flowing river in Scotland, and the country’s third longest.