iStockFive people have been rescued by helicopter near a sea stack on the island of Hoy after a search operation was launched in the early hours of the morning.
The alarm was raised early on Tuesday when the group did not return to the bothy where they were staying and someone else resting there rang police to report their concerns.
Police contacted the coastguard at 2.44am and the latter sent a helicopter and three coastguard rescue teams to the scene on the island in the Orkney archipelago.
The helicopter spotted the five people on the shoreside close to cliffs near the Old Man of Hoy sea stack which stands 137m (449ft) high.
It airlifted them to safety, bringing them back to Moaness pier on Hoy.
They were said to be safe and well after their experience.
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