An exercise involving Largs lifeboat and a Royal navy helicopter dramatically turned into a real life emergency on Sunday morning.
The volunteer Largs lifeboat crew and R.N. helicopter rescue 177 were in the early stages of the exercise when reports came in of a capsized sailing dinghy in the region of Portencross.
RNLI press spokesman Alasdair Woods told the news that for the purpose of a preexercise briefing, the lifeboat had brought ashore one helicopter crewman who had been winched on to the boat.
He added: “A call from Belfast Coastguard was overheard reporting a capsized sailing dinghy.
“The lifeboat immediately returned the helicopter crewman back to the aircraft, whereupon both units made good speed to the area.
“After a thorough search it had been reported that the sailors had managed to right their craft and were back sailing again the all units including the coastguard shore rescue team were stood down."
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