Lifeboat crews rescue man ‘clinging to concrete pillar’ in Firth of Forth

A man was taken to hospital with suspected hypothermia after lifeboat crews were alerted to a man “clinging to a concrete pillar” on a Firth of Forth causeway.

Emergency crews scrambled to reports of a man in the water between Cramond Island and Edinburgh on Friday at about 4.16pm.

The man was assessed on board a rescue vessel by crews from RNLI Kinghorn and Queensferry before being taken to hospital.

The “exhausted” man was said to be suffering with suspected hypothermia and lacerations, according to the rescue crew.

Neil Chalmers, lifeboat volunteer from RNLI Kinghorn, said the man was “extremely lucky” as the tide continued to come in before his rescue.

He said: “Both lifeboats were tasked at 4.16pm to a report of a person in the water at Cramond causeway.

“The exhausted casualty was located clinging to a concrete pillar and partly submerged in the water whilst the tide continued to flood.

“Our crew brought the casualty into the lifeboat and carried out a full assessment as we made our way to Cramond village.

“The person was extremely lucky, and we assume he had been trying to get back from the island on the rising tide. Fortunately, a member of the public spotted them and called the coastguard.

“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 main to an ambulance where he was taken to hospital with lacerations and suspected hypothermia.”

An HM Coastguard helicopter was also called out to help.