Man grasping concrete pillar in Firth of Forth while suffering from hypothermia rescued by lifeboat

A man grasping on to a concrete pillar in a notorious causeway in the Firth of Forth has been rescued by lifeboat crews.

Emergency responders were dispatched after receiving a flurry of calls to assist the exhausted man between Cramond Island and the mainland in Edinburgh on Friday afternoon.

The man, who had sustained “lacerations,” was taken aboard a rescue vessel and later transported to hospital following the operation by teams from the RNLI Kinghorn and Queensferry stations.

He was found to be suffering from hypothermia when he was rescued around a third of the way along the causeway, a spokesperson for the lifeboat said.

The HM Coastguard helicopter was also called out to assist in the search.

The link – which becomes accessible at low tide – is a common location for callouts due to visitors misjudging tide times.

Lifeboat and coastguard crews are routinely called out to rescue those who have been trapped on the island when the water level rises.

The man was transferred into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service when he was brought ashore.

“The casualty was assessed by casualty care trained crew and taken to Cramond village where an ambulance, South Queensferry Coastguard rescue team and a coastguard rescue helicopter arrived,” an RNLI spokesperson said.

“The rescue operation was a great example of teamwork amongst the emergency services with Kinghorn and Queensferry crews working together to locate and recover the casualty.

“Once alongside, lifeboat crew, coastguard personnel and ambulance crew moved the man to an ambulance where he was taken to hospital with lacerations and suspected hypothermia.”