Largs Lifeboat launched to a report of a man clinging on to a capsized vessel on the Clyde last Friday evening.
The coastguard call came at 7.50pm as an extensive search south of Toward Lighthouse took place after a red flare had been reportedly sighted earlier.
However, while there was no capsized boat or person found. there was a large yellow buoy with black markings, which could, from a distance, be mistaken for a capsized boat.
RNLI spokesman Alasdair Woods said "It was considered to be a false alarm with good intent."
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