A member of the general public made an emergency phone call to Clyde Coastguard this afternoon at 16.10 to report an object floating in the Firth of Clyde off Dunoon.
The object turned out to be a canoeist whose craft had overturned. Fortunately he was wearing a flotation aid which will have been a key to his survival, with an hour spent in the water before rescue.
A Navy SAR helicopter happened to be on exercise in the area and was diverted to the scene identified in the 999 report. A police launch was also deployed.
The canoeist was located and winched safely into the helicopter which immediately took him to Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital. His canoe, thought to be green, has not yet been recovered but the man himself is said to be recovering.
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