A WOMAN was rescued from the sea in a multi-agency operation at Ardrossan South Beach on Tuesday morning.

The emergency call came shortly after midnight which saw the Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team, Police Scotland and Troon Lifeboat race to the scene after receiving reports of a woman walking into the sea. A local crew from the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service and Scottish Ambulance Service personnel were also called to the incident.

A spokesperson for the Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team said: “The team was called out shortly after midnight after the Police received a call of a woman wading into the sea.

“The team attended immediately and on arrival, were informed by Police on the scene the female was still in the water but they had lost sight of her due to the darkness. High power search lights were set up on the shoreline with two water rescue operators being immediately deployed into the sea to begin a search for the female. The RNLI All Weather and inshore lifeboats from Troon were also making their way at best speed to the scene.

“As the lifeboats arrived on scene, they launched white parachute flares to illuminate the search area with the female being spotted some distance out a short time later. The inshore lifeboat quickly reached the casualty with the lifeboat crew and the Coastguard team members in the water bringing the female ashore and into the care of paramedics who were waiting on the beach.

“The team then utilised their specialist 4x4 rescue vehicle to extricate the casualty and the paramedics off the beach and into an awaiting ambulance which was parked nearby on the promenade.

“The female casualty was thereafter conveyed to Crosshouse Hospital by ambulance with the team standing down a short time later and returning to station. The team is made up entirely of specially-trained volunteers who are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to those in need.

“We would always urge that in a coastal, beach or cliff emergency to dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”