Frantic hours-long search for person who 'walked into the sea fully clothed'
Police and coastguard spent four hours searching for a missing person who was seen walking into the sea fully clothed.
The person was seen entering the water in Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, yesterday morning, Sunday, October 4, 2026.
A horrified member of the public called 999 to report what they had seen, sparking a frantic rescue attempt being launched by the emergency services.
But despite a number of boats, police officers and a helicopter being involved in the search, no person in distress was found.
The search was stood down around 4pm, after the alarm was raised at around 11.35am when they were seen entering the water opposite a war memorial.
A helicopter was seen hovering in the sky over the seaside town as the emergency services searched the water in the hunt for the person.
Police officers were also seen going door to door to door in the town yesterday afternoon.
The helicopter spent hours flying above the water, searching the Firth of Clyde, from Ardrossan to the neighbouring village of Seamill and the town of West Kilbride.
One local posted online: "At 11.15am myself and my partner watched someone walk into the sea fully clothed.
"Lost them in waves so phoned 999 coastguard.
"It was opposite Dasher Memorial they went in."
Another local said: "There was a lot of commotion, with police cars flying everywhere.
"One car with blue lights and sirens on went flying down Glasgow Street towards the shore front, near to St Peter's Church.
"There were other police cars down at South Beach as well.
"Officers were seen going into houses in Bath Square and Bath Villas, which back onto the sea.
"You could tell they were looking for someone and that they were worried the person had gone into the water.
"The helicopter was up for ages but it went away.
"It came back almost as soon as it had gone, so I think it must have headed back to Prestwick Airport to refuel and then return to finish the search.
"It was searching for ages again once it returned, and then after a while it left.
"Hopefully they managed to find whoever they were looking for and that whoever it is is okay.
"It's scary to think what it would be like in the water today, it's been blowing a gail, raining and absolutely freezing here.
"The water must have been absolutely baltic."
Police Scotland confirmed the incident was in relation to a concern call for a person.
A HM Coastguard spokesperson said: "HM Coastguard was asked to assist with a report that a person may be in difficulties in the water at Ardrossan South Beach, made at about 11.35am on Sunday 4 October.
"Largs and Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Teams were sent, along with an HM Coastguard helicopter, RNLI lifeboats from Troon and Largs and Police Scotland.
"An extensive search found no one in distress. HM Coastguard stood down its response at about 4pm, pending any new information."
The HMS Dasher memorial commemorates those who lost their lives when the converted aircraft carrier sank off the coast of Ardrossan on March 27, 1943.
Of the 528 crew, 379 died, making it the biggest single loss of life of service personnel of World War II not to have been caused by enemy action.
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