Three people taken to hospital after beach water rescue

Three people – including a child – have been rescued from the water and taken to hospital after getting into difficulty off the coast of north-east Fife.

Emergency services – including the coastguard, police, RNLI and ambulance service – attended Tentsmuir Sands, north of St Andrews, after a member of the public raised the alarm.

Those rescued from the water were taken to hospital for assessment.

One of the casualties, a young girl, was airlifted by the coastguard to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. The RNLI said she had ingested seawater after being swept out by a strong ebbing tide that pulled her from the beach.

Inshore lifeboat helm Kenny Watson said: “The girl had swallowed a lot of seawater and was quite unwell.

“We provided first aid until the ambulance crew arrived, and together we decided that the condition of the casualty meant evacuation by helicopter was necessary.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We received a call at 1300 hours today to attend an incident at Tentsmuir.

“We dispatched one ambulance and our special operations team to the scene. One child patient was air lifted by the Coastguard to Ninewells Hospital.”

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said it also attended after receiving a 999 call from a member of the public concerned about three people in the water at Tentsmuir.

A coastguard spokesperson said: “St Andrews, Dundee and Leven coastguard rescue teams were sent alongside the Broughty Ferry RNLI lifeboats and the search and rescue helicopter from Prestwick. Three people were recovered from the water and taken to hospital for assessment.”

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Police were made aware around 1.40pm this afternoon regarding three people being rescued from the water at Tentsmuir Sands but it was dealt with by ambulance.”

The rescue comes just a day after a 12-year-old girl was taken to hospital after a group of children got into difficulty at Tentsmuir.

A rescue operation was launched after 12 youngsters got stuck while taking part in an organised activity.

They were part of the Couper Angus Youth Activities Group.