SUSPECT ITEMS SPARKS SATURDAY CALLOUT IN IRVINE
The Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team was called out shortly after lunchtime today to possible ordnance on the beach between Irvine and Barassie.
Ayr Coastguard Rescue Team was also tasked to assist.
The callout came after a member of the public attended at Irvine Police Office to report the items which they had been found.
The team responded immediately and contact was made with the first informant to provide an exact location of the suspect items.
On arrival and with it being high tide, the location where the items had been spotted was completely submerged. Both the Ardrossan and Ayr Coastguard Rescue Teams remained on scene until the tide began to receede and expose the general area where the objects had been sighted.
With the tide on the way out, an in-depth search of the immediate area was conducted with nothing of note found. It is believed whatever the items were had been taken back out to sea with the tide.
With the search complete and nothing found, all coastguard resources have stood down and returned to their respective stations to clean equipment and vehicles and complete the necessary paperwork.
We contine to urge the public to follow some simple steps of they find what they believe to be maritime distress flares or ordnance on the beach:
1) Do not touch or move the item;
2) Take a note of the location or mark the general area for easy reference;
3) Dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Coastguard Rescue Teams are specially trained to deal with maritime distress flares along the coastline and also to work alongside our colleagues in the Police and the military in response to ordnance washed up along the shoreline.
Search and Rescue - it's what we do.
In a coastal, beach or cliff emergency dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.