Lifeboat crews rescued a man stranded on an inflatable mattress off Edinburgh’s coast after he fell into 7C water and became extremely cold
Rescue of Stranded Man Off Edinburgh Coast
Lifeboat crews rescued a man stranded on an inflatable mattress off the coast of Edinburgh.
The Queensferry RNLI Lifeboat was alerted to the emergency east of Cramond Island in the Firth of Forth at 9:18 AM on Sunday.
The man, who was fully clothed, had fallen into the water, which was about 7°C, but managed to get back on the air mattress.
The RNLI reported that the man had been on the water since 8 AM and was “wet and extremely cold.”
The volunteer rescue team located him and brought him onto the lifeboat.
The man was wrapped up for warmth, and it was determined that he needed an ambulance and rapid evacuation.
The lifeboat quickly went to Granton Harbour, north of Edinburgh, where the man was handed over to the Scottish Ambulance Service and its special operations response team (SORT) along with the South Queensferry Coastguard Rescue Team.
Volunteer helm Stewart Atkinson stated, “It was lucky that we got there when we did, as the casualty was extremely cold and was drifting further offshore, with the tide and offshore wind.”
He added, “This incident highlights that blow-up toys and airbeds are designed for pools, not the sea where they can quickly be blown offshore.”
Mr. Atkinson urged anyone going into the water to check the forecast and tide conditions.
He also said, “Be aware that conditions inshore may seem fine, but further offshore they can be significantly worse.”
“Always wear a personal flotation device and make sure you are also wearing clothing suitable for the forecasted weather,” he advised.
“If you get into trouble, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
This incident marked Queensferry Lifeboat’s fourth shout of 2026.
Incident Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | East of Cramond Island, Firth of Forth |
| Time of Alert | 9:18 AM |
| Water Temperature | 7°C |
| Time on Water | Since 8 AM |
| Rescue Team | Queensferry RNLI Lifeboat |
| Transfer Location | Granton Harbour |
| Assistance Provided By | Scottish Ambulance Service, SORT, South Queensferry Coastguard |
| Year of Incident | 2026 |
