A major sea and air search operation launched following issued a distress call to say their boat was sinking has been revealed as a hoax.

A man teaching his friend to use a transmitter radio on the Still Water II inadvertently sent the message "I am sinking" around noon on Thursday.

Two lifeboats from Aith and Lerwick were dispatched along with Shetland coastguard who joined local boats in the search off Scalloway Harbour on the west of Shetland.

Three coastguard rescue teams also conducted an onshore search of the coastline.

The man who had accidentally made the mayday call heard news of the search operation on the radio called the station to say the message was a practice.

A Shetland Coastguard spokesman said: "It was a false alarm. The man phoned up and said it was him teaching his mate how to use the radio and had inadvertently pressed the transmit button.”